Palermo, Bertozzi & Casoni's art on display at Villa Igiea

Villa Igiea, a hotel in Palermo, becomes the ideal stage to host the exhibition of Bertozzi & Casoni, the two masters of contemporary ceramics. The title of the exhibition, What we see is not what is, but what we are, encapsulates the core of the reflection that animates the exhibition. Curated by Raffaele Quattrone, the exhibition opens to the public on April 16 and will remain open until June 15, 2025. It is an opportunity to immerse oneself in the surprising and poetic creations of the artists from Emilia, who return to Sicily to celebrate World Art Day, establishing a profound dialogue with the history and environment of Villa Igiea.

The exhibition does not simply display works. Its real strength lies in its ability to provoke reflection on perception and deceptive appearance. What we see is not what it is suggests a vision of art as a tool for deeper investigation, where the visible is only a part of a far more complex and multifaceted reality. The more than 12 works on display, scattered throughout Villa Igiea’s common areas, are designed to stimulate continuous introspection. The violin cases, in particular, evoke an absence that is not emptiness, but rather a passage, a dimension that invites one to look beyond the surface. The homage to Lucio Fontana, with the cut canvases, resonates as an invitation to perceive what is unseen, where the cut is an opening, a door to new dimensions. Bertozzi & Casoni’s art becomes, therefore, a reflection on interiority, an invitation to look deeper, to explore the mystery and the unknown that lie behind appearances.

“What remains of a sound after it has been heard? What remains of an image when we close our eyes? Reality is never univocal, it is not only what appears, but also what remains hidden, what our mind, heart and experience allow us to see,” says Raffaele Quattrone. “Bertozzi & Casoni’s sculptures are not simple representations of nature: ceramic flowers that do not bloom, violin cases that do not contain sound, vases that no longer guard the time of matter. Each work is an enigma that plays with our perception and our senses, suggesting that what we see is only a fragment of reality, an illusion, a shadow of something beyond the visible. Vision is not just a physical act: it is interwoven with experiences, emotions, memories. We look at the world through the eyes of our history, our desires, our fears. The works challenge us to ask: What do we really see? What is it that eludes us? A flower is not just a flower, a violin case is not just a container. They are reflections of something that exists only in our perception. Aesthetic perception echoes and runs through Villa Igiea, which, as a symbol of hospitality and a metaphor for the inner journey, becomes an integral part of the exhibition, where Bertozzi & Casoni’s sculpture invites the public to embark on a journey of discovery between what is seen and what is not seen. The hotel, with its stories of travelers from different eras, is a space of choice and a witness to paths that never end, but are constantly intertwined just like the perception that the works-symbols of movement, research and change-generate in the viewer.”

Vases and tributes to great masters: Morandi and Van Gogh

In this context of sensory and philosophical inquiry, the ceramic works of the Emilian artists do not fail to pay homage to two of the greatest masters in the history of art: Giorgio Morandi and Vincent van Gogh. The vases that pay homage to these two painters fit perfectly into the discourse on matter, color and perception.

The vase dedicated to Morandi, with its silent essentiality, hints at the idea of an intimate and profound reflection, made up of simple forms but charged with meaning. On the other hand, the vase paying tribute to Van Gogh evokes the emotional turmoil and visual intensity of the Dutch painter, recalling his ability to immerse the viewer in a universe of colors and visceral passions.

Villa Igiea as a setting for history and modernity

Bertozzi & Casoni’s exhibition becomes a work of art in itself, both for the quality and depth of the works presented and for the context in which they are placed. Villa Igiea, which has its roots in the history of the Florio family, becomes the ideal setting to host this encounter between tradition and modernity, between contemporary ceramics and Palermo’s centuries-old history. The villa becomes the protagonist of a narrative that interweaves art, history and memory.

The vernissage of the exhibition, held in conjunction with World Art Day, featured the participation of the masters of Palermo’s Teatro Massimo, who accompanied the opening with a musical performance. The music, in perfect harmony with the artists’ works, explored universal themes such as the cyclical nature of life and the alternation between presence and absence, concepts that also echo in the sculptures and ceramics on display. Indeed, the musical performance amplified the message of the exhibition, creating a sensory encounter between the different art forms: visual, sonic and, finally, emotional.

Palermo, Bertozzi & Casoni's art on display at Villa Igiea

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