Martina Steckholzer brings her animal carnival to exhibition in Ortisei, Italy

The Doris Ghetta Gallery in Ortisei will host from Sept. 20 to Nov. 16 the solo exhibition of Martina Steckholzer (Sterzing, 1974), entitled Le Carnaval des Animaux. The event, which will take place at the Pontives Sud venue, will be open to the public from 6 to 8 p.m. This exhibition represents the artist’s third appointment with the gallery and presents a cycle of works centered on the representation of animals in a carnivalesque key. Steckholzer, born in Sterzing in 1974, merges in her new series of paintings her investigation of zoological museums with the art historical theme of the macabre dance, reinterpreted through a lens of carnivalesque joy.

The main works in the exhibition are large paintings (120x100 cm) depicting monkeys in dynamic poses. The artist’s mastery of capturing movement and vitality is evident, giving his canvases a lively and transient quality of spectacle. The lively use of color and form transforms each work into a piece of a grand festive carnival.

Steckholzer’s work is inspired by Camille Saint-Saëns’ symphonic work, Le Carnaval des Animaux, composed in 1886 and known for its burlesque spirit. This musical reference is reflected in the second group of works, which evokes a masked dance and carnival parade on mountaintops, inspired by a visit to the Rietberg Museum in Switzerland.

The exhibition is accompanied by a critical text by Karin Harrasser, professor of Cultural Theory at the Linz University of the Arts, who offers an in-depth reflection on Steckholzer’s work.

Martina Steckholzer brings her animal carnival to exhibition in Ortisei, Italy

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