The Rural Iowan: Mind-blowing Exhibits at Pirelli HangarBicocca

When I say "contemporary art," what do you think of? Cement towers that are seven stories high? A used shipping container filled with old operating motors? Well, what I experienced at HangarBicocca is perhaps the best visual definition of the term!

"Iliokatakiniomumastilopsarodimakopiotita"

The first exhibit I will explain is their temporary one created by Italian artist, Micol Assael, titled "Iliokatakiniomumastilopsarodimakopiotita." (Done on purpose, the name is a bunch of Greek words combined to make no sense at all.) The exhibit space contained five cells/environments where Assael provides the viewer with an opportunity to absorb the beauty of what is taking place though sound, smell, sight, and feel.

Micol Assael's, 432Hz.

During this work, the exhibitor enters a large wooded room only to notice a series of frames containing backlit wax drawings accompanied with the hum of bees; think beehive. The work is called 432Hz because that is the frequency of the bee's hum.

Vorkuta

Referencing the artist's trip to Siberia, this is the coldest exhibit with an environment temperature of -30 degrees Celsius. (It might be because it is inside a refrigerator LOL) Vorkuta is the name of a mining town in the bitter cold northern part of Russia.

Assael's, Sub

Rather cool, this work is pure science. It uses dripping water as a pure source to create an electrical charge.

Mindfall

The smell of "fatigue", or just running electric motors and oil, happens to be what's inside this environment. With 21 old running motors, making music only a mechanic can love, there is an obvious reason why you are only allowed to stay inside for three minutes.

I think the video speaks for itself and explains Micol Assael's work titled, "Untitled," quite well.

The Seven Heavenly Palaces

Another more permanent exhibition is by the famed contemporary artist, Anselm Kiefer. When I first set eyes on Kiefer's exhibit, my first impression was simply jaw-dropping awe. Standing before me were seven concrete towers wieghing about 90 tons each and they looked like kid stacked building blocks. Each individual tower had a theme it followed.