The Lightness of Being: Delving into Lightness in Everyday Existence

The Lightness of Being, curated by Marisa Macrini, is the fourth curated group exhibition to be hosted by follow.art, available from February 28 to April 19, 2024. The title is a reference to The Unbearable Lightness of Being, the famous novel by Milan Kundera, which deals with philosophical themes of becoming and lightness in human existence. With this exhibition, Macrini invites us to embrace the lightness in our everyday lives, to take the opportunities for introspection and pause, as it helps to “find gratitude for what we have, even in the simplest of situations”. One of the aims of the display is to create a space where visitors are invited to think about all the apparently “insignificant” moments that have passed by them, and “lightness as an art form in itself”.

Watercolor is the predominant technique featured in the artworks of the exhibition, a medium that appears to be particularly suitable to render lightness. It has a conceptual connection to everyday life as well, carrying in itself one of the essential elements of life – water. Water is such a crucial feature of the method, that even the smallest drop of it can transform the pigments into a variety of shades and degrees of transparency. Indeed, the artists and curator highlight the unique way this technique can render transparency and luminosity, flowing freely, echoing the theme of the exhibition. Oscar Alvarez Pardo points out that

The exhibition will be hosted online on follow.art, hence available worldwide. The digital medium offers visibility and networking opportunities, as well as accessibility – the artworks can be viewed at one’s convenience. This type of digitized exhibitions also enables the presence of a more diverse range of styles and media, providing the “public and potential buyers”  with “the opportunity [...] to explore and discover new artists and art forms they may not have encountered otherwise”, as Macrini suggests.

Indeed, online exhibitions facilitate bringing together people from many different places and backgrounds. This is reflected in the works of the artists featured in The Lightness of Being. For instance, Irene Meniconi notes that all of her artistic production is influenced by the events of her life, whether big or small, becoming “the result of a fusion of external experiences lived and internal reflections”. Through her creative process, she elaborates perceptions of her environment and personal experiences. Elizabeth Becker also notes the often-subconscious nature of these inspirations, stating that her work “has feminine, spiritual and emotional aspects to it”. Another of the featured artists, Patti Endo, believes that “being both Japanese and Kenyan gives an outlook and expression from both ends of each cultural spectrum”. She intertwines influences from both cultures in her art production, through choices of medium and her self-expression. 

For this exhibition, Nadia Tognazzo offers sights on the area of Cinque Terre, a place that she frequents often. Her images “refer to the play of light and colors inspired by these distinctly Mediterranean places”. Additionally, she presents a painting inspired by the energy of 1980s Milan, and the nostalgic feelings it invites. Another featured artist, Zoe James-Williams, draws from her background in theatre, dance and performance. With her work, she hopes to “shed light on the lives, struggles, and triumphs of performers”, as she aims to capture “the power and passion that drives individuals to pursue their artistic dreams”, involving audiences who resonate with these experiences.

Another motif in this exhibition is unconventionality. As curator Marisa Macrini states: “The intention is to prompt a reconsideration of the conventional boundaries of art”. She does not want to impose her own perspective, “but rather to create an environment for artists and viewers to engage in a dialogue that transcends conventional boundaries and fosters a deeper appreciation for the complexity and diversity of artistic expression”. Indeed, several of the featured artists also value unconventionality. Patti Endo states that she believes in experimenting with her work and that “breaking boundaries is key as an artist”. Zoe James-Williams wants to intrigue viewers, playing with light and shadow in order to offer “glimpses of life behind the scenes” and invite them “to imagine stories beyond the frame”. On another note, Elizabeth Becker focuses more on experimenting with artistic approaches, making an effort to “push the conventional boundaries and techniques of the watercolor medium”, occasionally blurring lines between representation and abstraction. Nadia Tognazzo is likewise interested in her own artistic evolution, and also with experimenting with new communicative methods, saying that she frequently finds “creative inspiration in the new means available”.

On the other hand, Irene Meniconi does not consider unconventionality to be one of her main aims, as  she believes that “any personal expression resulting from careful research is inherently ‘unconventional’ in itself because it reflects the uniqueness of each artist/person”. According to her, artistic research and the enjoyment of  artists’ works opens up  a world of diversity. She suggests looking “with eyes of curiosity rather than fear”, because “if we listen instead of hiding behind judgment, in diversity, we might discover parts of ourselves that we didn't know existed, or perhaps were afraid of”.

The Lightness of Being is therefore an invitation to reflect on the lightness we can find in everyday life, by diving into the variegated and unique worlds of different artists, portrayed through their original choices of medium and subjects. 

You are invited to visit The Lightness of Being from the 28th of February until the 19th of April!