Federica Schiavo Gallery is pleased to present Towards the altar of a god unknown, Carlo Gabriele Tribbioli’s second solo exhibition with the gallery. The show will feature different elements of an extensive research brought forward by the artist between 2011 and 2016 in collaboration with Federico Lodoli, film director and researcher in philosophy. The exhibition is structured to create a suspended atmosphere and invites the public to allow some time for their visit to fully investigate the works. 

The latter originate from a study on the war, considered in its unavoidable and universal dimension, as a real and archetypical event. The phenomenon has been studied by the authors through in-field investigations in Liberia, a country which has experienced radical, specific and inconclusive conflicts, where in different laps of time between October 2011 and March 2014, they shot Frammento 53. Methods and results of the research have exceeded the footage dimension having assembled a monumental amount of experiences, testaments, names, images, information, ideas therefore a further elaboration has taken different final forms: the book Towards the altar of a god unknown – Liberian notes (published by Humboldt Books Milano, realized with the support of Fondazione Baruchello and pre-released for the show), the graphic works of the series Altars and Archive 2011-2016, and a selected collection of relevant matters. 

In the first room, Tribbioli exhibits Altars, graphic works on paper and glass in iron frames. The works follow a specific composition scheme, a figurative synthesis of the three reference points used in the study: the conflict seen as cosmological power, depicted as gods of war portraits; the investigation field, a photographic series of key locations and specific symbols and a nomenclature which informs all the names, places and dates of the experience. 

Towards the altar of a god unknown – Liberian notes is structured in three complementary yet autonomous chapters: The night of man by Federico Lodoli introduces the theoretical background that led the process; Toward the altar of a god unknown by Carlo Gabriele Tribbioli is the collection of journey memories, interviews extracts and photographs shot in field and Historical Appendix by Laura Borsi assists the reader in the comprehension of the intricate Liberian history. Finally Archive 2001-2016 is an hand crafted container, built to gather original evidences and travel finds collected by the authors.

In the second room, a home-theatre has been staged for the viewing of Frammento 53. The film develops through a series of selected first-hand accounts of significant warriors, generals and warlords. Seven portraits are shown in sequence, always introduced by the voice-off statement of the authors and terminated by nocturnal images used as the backdrop for a set of quotations from former General Philip Wlue. Through the harsh and restless use of the hand held camera, always tight on their bodies and faces, a continuous tension between the fighters’ accounts and the viewer is achieved. Any personal and historical context is excluded from their narration in order to elevate their stories to a universal and impersonal dimension.

Produced by the Centre d’Art Contemporain – Genève, Federica Schiavo Gallery and Ring Film, Frammento 53 was premiered at the Biennale de l’Image en Mouvement – Genève in 2014 and screened in several film festivals, such as: Frames of Representation, ICA, London; Art of the Real, Film Society of Lincoln Center, New York; CPH:DOX, Copenhagen; Doclisboa, Lisbon; FID Marseille; Göteborg Film Festival; 16a Quadriennale d’Arte in Rome.