L'enigma dell'ora

2002

 

Paola Di Bello was invited to propose a project for the scaffolding mounted on the occasion of the restoration of the 18th century clock in the courtyard of the Palazzo di Brera in Milan. Di Bello analyzes the site, its history, and its image, and focuses on the courtyard with the statue of Napoleon in the center; but also, on the eyes of the tourists and students who live in Brera every day. She then creates an ad-hoc ouvre, Enigma dell'Ora, a subtly anomalous replica of the existing one: the statue of the Emperor is transformed into a sundial that metaphysically marks time with two shadows. The image was obtained by overlapping two shots, one taken during the day with natural lighting and one at night, with artificial lighting. The work reaffirms a link between past and present; but also, in order to be understood, it implies a moment of attention.
Gabi Scardi