De haut en bas : Le Théâtre Carignano, Turin, 2009

24 June – 30 August 2009 One of the historic masterpieces of Turin, the Carignano Theatre has been boldly renovated to make it more functional and better able to respond to modern demands. Gabriele Basilico has scrupulously recorded this technological transformation in response to a commission from Adèle Re Rebaudengo for Agarttha Arte. Basilico trained as an architect and became famous for his work on cities and industrial landscapes. From 2007 to January 2009, he took a large series of black and white photographs with his usual 10x12 camera. The exploration of the Carignano renovation is conceived as an inner journey. The eye enters the heart of a system of scaffolding and walkways that fills the available space, making it invisible and indecipherable. Te photographer records a stratification of views that evolve as the renovation progresses, offering a new ‘geography’ of this fascinating place. His work then consists of putting together new perspectives born from chaos and disorder, bringing out new lines of perspective, a new centre of gravity, and ultimately a sense of balance. These images should be looked at as the result of an endoscopy, the sublime revelation of a world that will soon be hidden and which the audience will never see: a backstage view of one of the finest theatres in Italy, whose gilding and great chandeliers now sparkle as never before. This exhibition is part of the project entitled ‘Piedmont. A definition’, whose aim is not just to create an archive but also to create heritage. This takes form thanks to a number of commissions and exhibitions by various photographers. It involves exchanges between artists and foreign institutions, and reflects the cultural and creative activity of the Piedmont region and Italy in general. Each year ‘Piedmont. A definition’, curated by Adele Re Rebaudengo, gives an artist carte blanche to produce a piece of work. Following on from Alain Fleisher in 2006 and William Klein in 2007, Gabriele Basilico was chosen to take part in the initiative in 2008. Exhibition organised with support from the Piedmont Region, Fondation CRT, Compagnia di San Paolo, UniCredit Group, Pba S.pA. and Bentley S.o.A S.p.A.