Allegra processione. Un’installazione luminosa di Giancarlo Neri
Starting from December 6th, the garden of the Fondazione Luigi Rovati will host, again for the Christmas period, artist Giancarlo Neri with the installation “Allegra Processione”: a luminous path composed of gilded and illuminated children's chairs that wind through the garden connected to each other, and then climb the perimeter wall until they face the balcony of the building on Corso Venezia.
“Few things are as dangerous for an artist as trying your hand at Christmas decoration, I would say almost none.”
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I wrote so last year immediately after receiving an invitation from the Luigi Rovati Foundation to create a light installation for Christmas. I confirm, of course, even though in 2023 I did quite well with “the Horizontal Tree” and was even included-the highest Milanese honor-in the traditional tour of billionaire trees (big companies compete to see who spends the most) that our beloved Moral Capital offers every year to its citizens, visitors, tourists, everyone. Well, I was invited again, always the Foundation and always Christmas, now what? Meanwhile, a question arises: am I invited again because I am good or because I cost little? Who knows. Anyway: the new installation is called “Allegra Processione,” opens December 6th, and is an attempt on my part to make a very bright and un-Christmasy installation without my well-wishers, always be praised, noticing.
Best wishes!
Giancarlo Neri
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Giancarlo Neri was born in Naples in 1955. In 1978, he moved to New York as a professional football player, but later studied painting and sculpture at the Art Students League, becoming a full-time artist. Starting in 1982, he began creating large-scale environmental installations in both urban and natural landscapes across the United States, Europe, and South America.
Among his most significant works are Still Night, on the roof of the Clocktower Gallery (MoMA P.S.1) in 1989, and Holy Tunnel on Canal Street (Tribeca) in 1991, both in New York; 180 Chairs in Capri, along Via Krupp, in 1991; The Writer (Lo Scrittore) in Villa Ada Park, Rome, in 2003 — later exhibited in London’s Hampstead Heath Park in 2005 and permanently installed at the Villa Reale in Monza; Massimo Silenzio at the Circus Maximus in Rome (2007), later recreated in Madrid (2008), Dubai (2009), and Rio de Janeiro (2012).
Among his more recent works are Latinorum, at the archaeological site of the Roman Houses on the Caelian Hill in Rome (2014); Audioghost68, an installation/performance on Burri’s Grande Cretto in Sicily (2015); Barroco Elétrico at the Oi Futuro Foundation in Rio de Janeiro (2016); Lune, created for the 60th anniversary of the Spoleto Festival (2017); Dialogo Infinito, a permanent installation in the Veio Park near Rome (2019); and Albero Orizzontale at the Fondazione Luigi Rovati in Milan (2023).  Neri lives and works in Rome.
