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Space of perplexity
High iron scaffolding covered
with sandbags creates a sort
of “camouflaged defence”
around the Dante monument in
the Trento Station gardens.
Lara Favaretto’s Momentary
Monument forms part of
the exhibition titled “1989-
2009/Overview, Celebration,
Critique”, which launches the
activities of the Fondazione
Galleria Civica di Ricerca
sulla Contemporaneità in
Trento on 10 October (until
6 January). “The Momentary
Monument is a state of alert,
a reminder of the trenches
dug along the front lines
in times of war for men’s
protection but now turned
into an open-air space,
brought to the surface and
constructed to protect the
value of language. In both
cases, the result is seen as
a state of need in which the
status quo is overturned
and reordered. It questions
everything and plays with
the meaning of the word
‘monument’, bearing the
concept of memory with it,”
explains the artist. With
irony but also – as Favaretto
argues –“cheekily and
annoyingly”, this temporary
monument “protects the
aesthetic form (Dante) and
rereads the conceptual
form (language)”. “It can
therefore be reappointed as
a conspicuous but sombre
refuge; threatening but
asking for compassion,
marked by its clumsiness
but proud to be standing,”
continues the artist from
Treviso.
“It is such a fabulous
and imposing form that it
takes your breath away
but is equally so boring
and disappointing that you
lower your gaze. Indeed, it
could be seen as a project
executed with the intention
of producing perplexity.” Elena Sommariva
