ALLEGRA HICKS
“La Ginestra and Vesuvius”
Italian Cultural Institute of New York
ALLEGRA HICKS
October 2 – October 18, 2024
Opening: Wednesday, October 2
6:00 PM – 8:00 PM

From October 2 to 18, 2024, the Italian Cultural Institute of New York will host the exhibition “La Ginestra and Vesuvius” by artist Allegra Hicks. Inspired by Giacomo Leopardi’s renowned poem La Ginestra, the exhibition explores the interaction between humans and nature, contrasting the harsh, destructive power of Mount Vesuvius with the resilience of the broom flower, a symbol of strength and endurance.

Written in 1836, Leopardi’s poem is one of his final works and offers a somber view of nature’s indifference to human fate. In it, the poet portrays the broom flower, which grows on the barren slopes of Vesuvius, as a symbol of the human condition: fragile and doomed to succumb to nature’s overwhelming force.

However, Allegra Hicks presents a complementary interpretation of nature. While it can destroy, it does so to create and generate new life. For Hicks, the broom flower becomes a symbol not only of vulnerability but also of regeneration and transformation—a vital force that emerges from adversity in a positive act of resistance. Through the eight works on display, Hicks celebrates the perpetual cycle of upheaval and rebirth inherent in nature.

The exhibition is divided into two distinct spaces within the Institute. In the main gallery, a large tapestry (2×2 meters) features the broom flower bursting from Vesuvius’s mouth, painted in black and blue. The embroidered petals scatter like fragments of an eruption, suggesting a sense of movement and life that contrasts with the volcano’s devastating image. This interplay between devastation and creation dialogues with Leopardi’s message: while Leopardi views nature as a “mother of births but stepmother in will,” Hicks sees it as a generative force capable of transforming destruction into an act of creation.

 

The triptych on display examines the flower from various perspectives, progressively dissolving its form into abstraction. This approach reveals multiple perceptions of nature while preserving its essence. The embroidered lava cascades like a constant threat, yet the broom flower emerges unscathed, renewed and resilient.

 

At the Galleria Borghese, Hicks presents an immersive installation that transports visitors inside the mouth of a volcano. Four canvases, featuring incandescent lapilli on dark, blood-red backgrounds, create a powerful, enveloping atmosphere. At the center stands a small bronze broom flower, delicate yet resilient—an explicit reference to Leopardi’s poem, which describes the broom as a “flower of the desert” emblematic of a nature that is wounded but alive. The choice of bronze, a durable and robust material, lends the plant symbolic strength, highlighting the contrast between its fragility and its capacity to survive adversity.

 

Allegra Hicks employs a blend of traditional and innovative techniques, including tapestry, bronze sculpture, and three-dimensional embroidery. This variety of methods evokes nature’s regeneration and human vulnerability, offering an artistic vision that merges craftsmanship with design.

 

My work is an intimate response to nature” says Hicks. “In this exhibition, I aim to juxtapose nature’s capacity to annihilate with its generative power.” For Hicks, the focus is not on a dichotomy between man and nature but on recognizing nature as a vital force of which humanity is an integral part—a continuously transforming energy to which we all belong.

 

We are thrilled to host Allegra Hicks’ exhibition at the Cultural Institute” says Institute Director Fabio Finotti. “The theme of La Ginestra and Vesuvius is linked to Leopardi’s years in Naples. The volcano and the broom flower symbolize a nature that both destroys and renews, representing the ambiguities, contradictions, and possibilities of our daily lives.” Finotti adds, “Hicks’ works draw on the great traditions of tapestry and bronze sculpture. Through this range of expressive tools, the exhibition perfectly exemplifies Italy’s ability to integrate diverse languages: art and literature, science and philosophy, design and craftsmanship.”

Beyond reinterpreting Leopardi’s poetry, the exhibition invites reflection on nature’s regenerative capacity and its complex relationship with humanity—an issue of significant relevance in the Anthropocene era.

 

Press Office 

Anna Maria Tortorici Montaperto

+393382646202

am.tortoricimontaperto@gmail.com

 

Notes to the Editor:

Date: October 2–19, 2024

Opening: 2 October – 6pm – 8pm

Location: Italian Cultural Institute of New York, 686 Park Ave, New York, NY 10065, United States  

Visiting Hours: Monday to Friday, from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM

Admission:Free  

Phone: +1 212 879 4242

Email:info@iicny.org

 

Allegra Hicks

In the past decade, Allegra Hicks’ work has focused on unique pieces exploring the inseparable relationship between art and design. By delving into the origins of her painting, Hicks’ new works weave the landscape of an “inner and outer human nature.”

Allegra presented her first tapestry collection at the Giustini Stagetti Gallery in Rome in 2017. In 2018, her exhibition at the Gallerie Riunite in Naples featured a series of paintings titled “Mapping the Soul,” which was later showcased at the Italian Cultural Institute in London. Her piece titled “Il Miracolo” contributes to the contemporary art collection at Pio Monte della Misericordia, curated by Mario Codognato, and has been on display in Naples since 2019.

In December 2021, she held an exhibition of ink on canvas at the Bert Gallery in Los Angeles. In September 2022, during the Venice Glass Week, she inaugurated an exhibition in the warehouse of Palazzo Polignac. The piece, titled “Inside Outside II,” is a 63 square meter work of embroidery with glass beads on canvas. In October 2022, she participated in CULT during EDIT – Naples with a silk tapestry titled “Divinazione,” exhibited in the Sacristy of the Church of SS Filippo e Giacomo.  On September 16, 2023, she inaugurated the exhibition “Ti porterò nel Sangue” at the SMAAVE contemporary art center in Naples, and later brought it to Palermo at the Church of SS Euno e

Giuliano. Allegra Hicks works between London and Naples. [https://allegrahicks.com

 

Italian Cultural Institute – New York

The Italian Cultural Institute of New York was founded in 1961 by the Italian Government. Its mission is to promote the Italian language and culture in the United States. Under the guidance of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the advisory committee, and its staff, the Italian Cultural Institute of New York fosters cultural exchanges between Italy and the United States across various fields, from the arts to the humanities to science and technology.

Central to the activities of the Italian Cultural Institute is its collaboration with major academic and cultural institutions on the East Coast. Scientific exchanges, organizing and supporting visual arts exhibitions, and contributing to the translation and publication of Italian books inspire and fuel the Institute’s initiatives. In particular, we focus on the relationship between memory and innovation, and the diverse identities within Italian civilization. The Italian Cultural Institute of New York thus serves as a “window” into the key cultural and social aspects of both past and present Italy. https://iicnewyork.esteri.it/it/

ALLEGRA HICKS
“La Ginestra and Vesuvius”
Italian Cultural Institute of New York
ALLEGRA HICKS
October 2 – October 18, 2024
Opening: Wednesday, October 2
6:00 PM – 8:00 PM

From October 2 to 18, 2024, the Italian Cultural Institute of New York will host the exhibition “La Ginestra and Vesuvius” by artist Allegra Hicks. Inspired by Giacomo Leopardi’s renowned poem La Ginestra, the exhibition explores the interaction between humans and nature, contrasting the harsh, destructive power of Mount Vesuvius with the resilience of the broom flower, a symbol of strength and endurance.

Written in 1836, Leopardi’s poem is one of his final works and offers a somber view of nature’s indifference to human fate. In it, the poet portrays the broom flower, which grows on the barren slopes of Vesuvius, as a symbol of the human condition: fragile and doomed to succumb to nature’s overwhelming force.

However, Allegra Hicks presents a complementary interpretation of nature. While it can destroy, it does so to create and generate new life. For Hicks, the broom flower becomes a symbol not only of vulnerability but also of regeneration and transformation—a vital force that emerges from adversity in a positive act of resistance. Through the eight works on display, Hicks celebrates the perpetual cycle of upheaval and rebirth inherent in nature.

The exhibition is divided into two distinct spaces within the Institute. In the main gallery, a large tapestry (2×2 meters) features the broom flower bursting from Vesuvius’s mouth, painted in black and blue. The embroidered petals scatter like fragments of an eruption, suggesting a sense of movement and life that contrasts with the volcano’s devastating image. This interplay between devastation and creation dialogues with Leopardi’s message: while Leopardi views nature as a “mother of births but stepmother in will,” Hicks sees it as a generative force capable of transforming destruction into an act of creation.

 

The triptych on display examines the flower from various perspectives, progressively dissolving its form into abstraction. This approach reveals multiple perceptions of nature while preserving its essence. The embroidered lava cascades like a constant threat, yet the broom flower emerges unscathed, renewed and resilient.

 

At the Galleria Borghese, Hicks presents an immersive installation that transports visitors inside the mouth of a volcano. Four canvases, featuring incandescent lapilli on dark, blood-red backgrounds, create a powerful, enveloping atmosphere. At the center stands a small bronze broom flower, delicate yet resilient—an explicit reference to Leopardi’s poem, which describes the broom as a “flower of the desert” emblematic of a nature that is wounded but alive. The choice of bronze, a durable and robust material, lends the plant symbolic strength, highlighting the contrast between its fragility and its capacity to survive adversity.

 

Allegra Hicks employs a blend of traditional and innovative techniques, including tapestry, bronze sculpture, and three-dimensional embroidery. This variety of methods evokes nature’s regeneration and human vulnerability, offering an artistic vision that merges craftsmanship with design.

 

My work is an intimate response to nature” says Hicks. “In this exhibition, I aim to juxtapose nature’s capacity to annihilate with its generative power.” For Hicks, the focus is not on a dichotomy between man and nature but on recognizing nature as a vital force of which humanity is an integral part—a continuously transforming energy to which we all belong.

 

We are thrilled to host Allegra Hicks’ exhibition at the Cultural Institute” says Institute Director Fabio Finotti. “The theme of La Ginestra and Vesuvius is linked to Leopardi’s years in Naples. The volcano and the broom flower symbolize a nature that both destroys and renews, representing the ambiguities, contradictions, and possibilities of our daily lives.” Finotti adds, “Hicks’ works draw on the great traditions of tapestry and bronze sculpture. Through this range of expressive tools, the exhibition perfectly exemplifies Italy’s ability to integrate diverse languages: art and literature, science and philosophy, design and craftsmanship.”

Beyond reinterpreting Leopardi’s poetry, the exhibition invites reflection on nature’s regenerative capacity and its complex relationship with humanity—an issue of significant relevance in the Anthropocene era.

 

Press Office 

Anna Maria Tortorici Montaperto

+393382646202

am.tortoricimontaperto@gmail.com

 

Notes to the Editor:

Date: October 2–19, 2024

Opening: 2 October – 6pm – 8pm

Location: Italian Cultural Institute of New York, 686 Park Ave, New York, NY 10065, United States  

Visiting Hours: Monday to Friday, from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM

Admission:Free  

Phone: +1 212 879 4242

Email:info@iicny.org

 

Allegra Hicks

In the past decade, Allegra Hicks’ work has focused on unique pieces exploring the inseparable relationship between art and design. By delving into the origins of her painting, Hicks’ new works weave the landscape of an “inner and outer human nature.”

Allegra presented her first tapestry collection at the Giustini Stagetti Gallery in Rome in 2017. In 2018, her exhibition at the Gallerie Riunite in Naples featured a series of paintings titled “Mapping the Soul,” which was later showcased at the Italian Cultural Institute in London. Her piece titled “Il Miracolo” contributes to the contemporary art collection at Pio Monte della Misericordia, curated by Mario Codognato, and has been on display in Naples since 2019.

In December 2021, she held an exhibition of ink on canvas at the Bert Gallery in Los Angeles. In September 2022, during the Venice Glass Week, she inaugurated an exhibition in the warehouse of Palazzo Polignac. The piece, titled “Inside Outside II,” is a 63 square meter work of embroidery with glass beads on canvas. In October 2022, she participated in CULT during EDIT – Naples with a silk tapestry titled “Divinazione,” exhibited in the Sacristy of the Church of SS Filippo e Giacomo.  On September 16, 2023, she inaugurated the exhibition “Ti porterò nel Sangue” at the SMAAVE contemporary art center in Naples, and later brought it to Palermo at the Church of SS Euno e

Giuliano. Allegra Hicks works between London and Naples. [https://allegrahicks.com

 

Italian Cultural Institute – New York

The Italian Cultural Institute of New York was founded in 1961 by the Italian Government. Its mission is to promote the Italian language and culture in the United States. Under the guidance of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the advisory committee, and its staff, the Italian Cultural Institute of New York fosters cultural exchanges between Italy and the United States across various fields, from the arts to the humanities to science and technology.

Central to the activities of the Italian Cultural Institute is its collaboration with major academic and cultural institutions on the East Coast. Scientific exchanges, organizing and supporting visual arts exhibitions, and contributing to the translation and publication of Italian books inspire and fuel the Institute’s initiatives. In particular, we focus on the relationship between memory and innovation, and the diverse identities within Italian civilization. The Italian Cultural Institute of New York thus serves as a “window” into the key cultural and social aspects of both past and present Italy. https://iicnewyork.esteri.it/it/