Forget the usual monster under the bed. From March 8 to June 8, 2025, at the Gallerie di Piedicastello in Trento, "Monstra" unfolds—a groundbreaking exhibition that delves deep into the monstrous imagination, overturning, analyzing, and celebrating it. It's a profound journey through ancient fears and contemporary reflections, where the unsettling becomes a springboard for thought.
Curated by Camilla Nacci Zanetti and promoted by Alchemica APS, "Monstra" brings together 26 contemporary artists ready to challenge every convention through painting, sculpture, video, installations, and performances. But that's not all: alongside the artworks, contributions from the Fondazione Museo Storico del Trentino, MuSe, and the METS of San Michele all'Adige enrich the exhibition with traditional carnival masks and historical pieces on propaganda, war, and pseudosciences.
The result? A visual narrative that unites past and present, folklore and social critique, fantasy and reality. Here, the monster is not just what scares us; it's a metaphor for our contradictions, cultural tensions, and the injustices surrounding us—a way to also speak of our daily demons.
"Monstra" is not a mere contemporary art exhibition. It's an intense experience designed for those eager to question their mental frameworks and be provoked by what, at first glance, might seem merely unsettling. Cellar Contemporary collaborates with "Monstra" through the works of the following artists: David Aaron Angeli, Tommaso Buldini, Chiara Calore, Anna De los Beves, Fulvio Di Piazza, Francesco Riluça, Bruno Fantelli, Agata Ferrari Bravo, Gelitin, Andrew Gilbert, Naomi Gilon, Silvia Governa, Valentyna Kyzmyk, Federico Lanaro, Mad Meg, Angelo Maisto, Laurina Paperina, Denis Riva, Dora Poi, Dionysis Saraii, Virginia Sartori, Sylvie Selig, Solomostry, Julia Switai, Flaminia Veronesi, and Pietro Weber.
