Bruce Conner, Steve McQueen, Catherine Opie, Carag Thuring and Kelley Walker

Thomas Dane Gallery - Naples, Italy

By Santa Nastro

When Thomas Dane announced last fall his decision to open a new gallery in Italy, some may have been surprised that he didn’t choose Rome or Milan, but Naples, the beautiful city that was home to Virgilio, Benedetto Croce and many more, as well as the book and film Gomorra. It is also popular for its place in the art-market world, thanks to mythical gallerists such as Lucio Amelio, who, in the 1980s, promoted the coming together of European and American cultures, as represented by Andy Warhol and Joseph Beuys, as well as Lia Rumma, who splits her time between Naples and Milan and represents artists such as Anselm Kiefer, William Kentridge and Marina Abramović. The city’s most popular art stops include Madre, directed by Andrea Viliani, and Capodimonte directed by Sylvain Bellenger, and collectors such as Peppe Morra (ARTPULSE already published a piece about his superb project Casa Morra) also command attention.

But now, a touch of Britain makes its mark in Naples, thanks to Dane, who opened his first headquarters in London in 2004. Today, it is one of the most important art destinations in the city and is influential in the global art market. Still, he was seduced by Naples and felt compelled to expand there. “Naples is a city I loved for many years,” Dane said. “It’s not like any other city and really the only city I could imagine having another gallery in. We didn’t really intend to have another location. Somehow I was drawn there. I hope that we can make a worthwhile contribution.”

Steve McQueen, Running Thunder, 2007. Photo: Danilo Donzelli Photography. Courtesy of Thomas Dane Gallery, Naples.

Dane chose a stunning palazzo named Casa Ruffo as the site of his new endeavor. It boasts six rooms situated around a large central “salone” with a Neoclassical aura, plus offices and a breathtaking terrace that showcases Naples’ formidable beauty and charm.

The lounge typically remains empty, while each room is dedicated to the work of a single artist and that person’s vision of Naples. The first room is dedicated to Caragh Thuring’s paintings, which portray the iconic symbol of the city, the Phlegraean Fields volcanic site. Visitors are then met by a 16-millimeter film by Steve McQueen called Running Thunder (2007), which takes its name from the dead horse protagonist of the scene.

Next up are Kelley Walker’s digital collages, which feature archive pictures by iconic photographer Mimmo Jodice that underscore the long relationship between Naples and contemporary art.

Underground culture is at the center of the photographs by Catherine Opie (1993-95), who represents the leather community on the West Coast of the U.S. Even if it seems off topic, she is inspired by the ancient and classical culture that obviously pervades Italian life. Finally, there is the mind-blowing Easter Morning by Bruce Conner, created in 2008 from a super-8 film from 1966. Images follow Terry Riley’s music (his masterpiece In C), played with Chinese traditional instruments. It is a delicate dance of lights, made of flowers, unknown landscapes, leaves and, in the end, a naked woman, shown in an intimate moment.

(January 25 - March 24, 2018)

Santa Nastro is an art historian, journalist and art critic based in Rome. She is the author of the project arTVision and member of the editorial committee of Artribune. Her texts have been published in Exibart, Corriere della Sera, Arte Magazine, Alfabeta2 and Il Giornale dell’Arte, among other publications and exhibition catalogs.

Filed Under: Reviews