Labour of Love
Labour of Love
The “Labour of Love” exhibition brought together the works of Letizia Battaglia, Loredana Longo, and Maria Marshall, spanning various mediums such as films, installations, and photography.
To further engage the community, a series of educational workshops were organized, inviting local school students and other community members to explore the themes of the exhibition in depth.
Coinciding with the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, the exhibition opened on November 25, 2023, and stood as a testament to the power of art in addressing and provoking discussions on vital social issues.
Curated by Adina Drinceanu, the exhibition has been made possible thanks to the generous support of the Municipality of Città della Pieve, the Francesco Pantaleone Contemporary Art gallery, and the Letizia Battaglia Archive.
The show includes about 30 works, including photographs, films, installations, and videos that narrate how the three artists have addressed the theme of the power of love and its absence as a starting point for reflection on rebirth and redemption. As the curator explains, the exhibition is inspired by the principle of “starting from oneself”, developed by Luisa Muraro and the feminist theorists of the ‘Diotima‘ philosophical community. This concept refers to a path of self-reflection aimed at transforming individuals into active agents of change, challenging oppressions, and promoting social justice through dialogue and collective action.
For ‘Labor of Love,’ 17 images were selected from the most intimate photographs of Letizia Battaglia from the ’80s and ’90s, bold photojournalistic narratives that have highlighted some dark aspects of violence related to mafia themes, works in which love is shown as a form of resistance, capturing moments of tenderness, vulnerability, pain, and lightness. In Loredana Longo‘s monumental installation ‘Capitonnè SkinWall’ (2020), love for one’s body becomes a reflection of social and personal conflicts.
The English-Swiss artist Maria Marshall, drawing on her experience of motherhood and post-partum depression, explores themes of innocence and identity through dreamlike images created with some digital illusions. In the video installation ‘I Can See the Wood for the Trees,’ the artist evokes the strength of motherhood as a tool of resistance and denunciation against the violence of war and against nature.
Palazzo della Corgna
Piazza Antonio Gramsci, 06062
Città della Pieve, Perugia
Tuesday to Sunday 10:00 - 18:00