Elisa Caldana at MACTE in Termoli with "The Falcon of Karachi," a tale of nature and power

From Feb. 14 to May 3, 2025, MACTE Museo di Arte Contemporanea in Termoli will host the Italian premiere of Elisa Caldana’s project The Falcon of Karachi, an exhibition that combines art, ecology and social reflection. After a stint working in Pakistan and an exhibition at West Den Haag in the Netherlands, Caldana brings to Italy a series of works that become part of MACTE’s permanent collection thanks to her Italian Council 12 win in 2023.

The focus of the exhibition is the Laggar falcon, an endemic species of Pakistan, India and Myanmar that is threatened with extinction. Through an artistic language that ranges from film to sculpture, installation to textile, Caldana reflects on the relationship between wildlife and domestication, exploring the cultural and political processes that emerge when wildlife is forced into captivity.

A journey between Karachi and Termoli

The main installation is conceived for the MACTE rotunda, a space transformed to evoke the atmosphere of a Karachi courtyard. Here, the public is invited to immerse themselves in a dialogue between the works, each with a strong symbolic charge. Prominent among the sections is a film shot by the artist during his repeated trips to Pakistan.

Another striking feature is the fabric works reproducing the raptor’s plumage, made in collaboration with international artisans. Also at the center of the exhibition is the bronze sculpture Untitled (Released): depicting hands holding a hawk before its release, this work evokes themes of oppression and liberation, emptiness and hope.

Elisa Caldana weaves a narrative in which the metaphor of Laggar’s hawk becomes a tool to reflect on power relations between humans and nature, pollution and the dynamics of control exercised over the environment. In this context, art is not only representation, but also a means of questioning rights - human and otherwise - and collective responsibilities.

Side events and public participation

To enrich the exhibition, MACTE is offering a Public Program that includes meetings and workshops. On Feb. 15, at 4 p.m., there will be an open dialogue with the artist and curator Bruno Alves De Almeida of the Jan Van Eyck Academie in Maastricht.

On May 2 and 3, however, the museum will host a hands-on workshop led by Caldana together with Dutch textile designer Aliki Van der Kruijs, thanks to the support of the Embassy and Consulate General of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. This workshop will offer participants the opportunity to explore artistic techniques related to textile work, inspired by the works on display.

A dialogue with the Termoli Prize collection.

In addition to The Falcon of Karachi, MACTE offers a selection of works from the Termoli Prize collection in the side rooms. These include works by artists such as Benni Bosetto, Dadamaino and Mirella Bentivoglio, alongside lesser-known but significant pieces, such as Bettino Craxi’s silkscreens dedicated to Pierre Restany and the Malangatana altarpiece, which is exceptionally displayed until the end of the exhibition before returning to storage.

For more information about the exhibition and the program of events, you can visit the MACTE Foundation’s official website at www.fondazionemacte.com.

Elisa Caldana at MACTE in Termoli with "The Falcon of Karachi," a tale of nature and power

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