Ruben Montini on Performance, Queer Identity, and the Artist-Run Space CONFINO
Ruben Montini, born in 1986 in Oristano, blends Sardinian heritage with queer culture, utilizing the body as a form of expression. In June 2021, he launched CONFINO, an artist-run venue in Castelnuovo del Garda dedicated to LGBTQI+ narratives. Since starting his performances in 2007, he has encountered criticism for romanticizing previous eras. Montini perceives performance as a way to provoke discussions about overlooked rights and love. CONFINO's mission is to highlight emerging gay artists alongside more established figures, filling programming voids. He has revisited only two works: 'Tip-Tap' (2008, 2011, 2013) and 'Agiudamia Tui, Virgini' (2011, 2015), as he believes that repetition lessens their power. During the pandemic, he engaged in 'Corpi sul Palco', emphasizing the broad reach of digital art.
Key facts
- Ruben Montini was born in 1986 in Oristano, Italy.
- He inaugurated the artist-run space CONFINO in Castelnuovo del Garda in June 2021.
- CONFINO focuses on LGBTQI+ artists, pairing young gay artists with established ones.
- Montini started performing in 2007 while at the academy.
- He has only reprised two performances: 'Tip-Tap' and 'Agiudamia Tui, Virgini'.
- His performance 'Did you ever fall in love again?' was presented at Villa Adriana, Tivoli in 2019.
- Performance documentation is available in editions of 3 + 2 via Prometeo Gallery.
- Collectors can purchase the unique protocol for each performance, including re-execution rights.
Entities
Artists
- Ruben Montini
- Andrea Contin
- Edoardo Pontecorvi
Institutions
- CONFINO
- Prometeo Gallery
- Prometeo Gallery Ida Pisani
- The Why Gallery
- Camden Town Unlimited
- Teatro Florian
- O'
- Centro d’Arte Contemporanea Ujazdowski Castle
- Villa Adriana
- Artribune
Locations
- Oristano
- Italy
- Castelnuovo del Garda
- Londra
- London
- Pescara
- Milano
- Milan
- Varsavia
- Warsaw
- Tivoli
- Hluboká nad Vltavou
- Repubblica Ceca
- Velletri
- Padova