Discover the Enigmatic World of Mirrors in Chicago
The Block Museum in Chicago is set to unveil a mesmerizing solo show by Italian-born artist Federico Solmi on September 19. The exhibition will feature a single work titled The Great Farce, transforming the museum’s largest gallery space into a monumental video installation.
Federico Solmi, a Guggenheim fellow based in New York, is known for his mixed-media installations of animated videos that showcase incredibly saturated colors and biting satire. The Great Farce, originally commissioned for the B3 Festival of the Moving Image in Frankfurt, Germany in 2017, presents a thought-provoking narrative through a unique artistic lens.
The video, showcased as a long projected “banner” on the upper-floor facade of the Schauspiel Frankfurt theater, depicts an anachronistic crowd of historical figures arriving in America on colonial ships. These figures, including conquistadors, kings, popes, and presidents, are animated as soulless paper-mache puppets with ferocious looks. The narrative unfolds as the colonizers are welcomed by Native people, leading to a surreal waltz between the colonized and the colonizers, set against a backdrop of grandiose celebrations and a Times Square–esque theme park.
At the Block Museum, The Great Farce will be presented as a nine-channel video in a U-shaped triptych, creating an immersive experience for viewers. The walls of the projection are approximately ten feet high and 40 feet wide, with sound emanating from speakers at each corner, enveloping the audience in a stroboscopic frenzy of visuals and haunting music.
Janet Dees, the Block’s curator of modern and contemporary art, explained the significance of presenting The Great Farce in 2024, coinciding with an election year. The work, gifted to the museum in 2019 as part of its Thinking About History initiative, prompts viewers to reflect on the narrative of American history and how it is portrayed.
Solmi’s meticulous process of combining old and new animation techniques culminates in a visually stunning display that challenges viewers to question the way history is recounted. Influenced by Renaissance painters and German expressionist cinema, Solmi’s work blends historical figures with contemporary culture, critiquing consumerism and celebrity culture.
The artist’s research process, inspired by books like James W. Loewen’s “Lies My Teacher Told Me,” delves deep into the complexities of American history and its representation. Through a blend of motion capture, 3D modeling, and painterly textures, Solmi creates a surreal world where reality and satire intertwine.
The exhibition at the Block Museum invites visitors to explore the enigmatic world of mirrors created by Federico Solmi. As viewers immerse themselves in The Great Farce, they are confronted with a visual spectacle that challenges perceptions and invites critical reflection on the narratives that shape our understanding of history and culture.
Don’t miss the opportunity to experience “Federico Solmi: The Great Farce” at the Block Museum from September 19 to December 1. Immerse yourself in a world where art and history collide, inviting you to rethink the stories we tell and the truths we hold dear.
