Photo-souvenir: Daniel Buren, Fibres optiques tissées. Illuminare lo spazio, lavori in situ e situati, GAMeC, Palazzo della Ragione, Bergamo (Italy), 2013 - 2020 © Daniel Buren by SIAE 2020 Photo courtesy: Lorenzo Palmieri

In the last few months Bergamo has been undoubtedly one of the towns hardest hit by Covid19. A grieving symbol of the pandemic. But residents are now eager to go back to normal life and restart breathing.

Among the initiatives put in place by the municipality and by the well known local Gallery of Modern Art GAMeC for a new renaissance, the international exhibition of Daniel Buren is one of the most outstanding. The title “Illuminare lo spazio, lavori in sito e situati” (i.e. “Enlighting the space. Site installations”) reveals an unprecedented masterpiece, where lights and colours dialogue with the frescos set on the medieval walls of Palazzo della Ragione, the place where, in the past, justice was put in place.

Within the wonderful frame of the most outstanding room of the palace – the so-called “Sala delle Capriate” –- bright fabrics light up the town symbol and frescos leave their usual place in the dark to turn to life.

The project, signed by the French artist Daniel Buren, offers an evocative experience where symbolism can be easily found (light as rebirth).

The result, entering the room, is a pleasant and relaxing visual oasis.

Despite the awful period, Bergamo didn’t want to give up the launch of such an important initiative.

Institutions, founding members of GAMeC and local companies, including Italgen, confirmed their support to the initiative conceived during the lock down.

“This project is the desire of the artist to go beyond the box, to experience something new and extremely pleasant, said Giuseppe De Beni, CEO & Managing Director of Italgen. Fabrics are radiant with light. In  the twilight of the Sala delle Capriate they give the visitors great energy. Exactly what we need to start again leaving pandemic nightmare behind us.”