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See Photos of the Most Exclusive Summer Art Event
The picturesque Greek island of Hydra, home to collector and industrialist Dakis Joannou’s DESTE Foundation Projectspace Slaughterhouse Hydra, welcomes the art world’s international jet set crowd each summer. For those lucky enough to snag a coveted invitation, the foundation’s annual party is a natural next stop for those traveling from last week’s Art Basel fair.
This summer, in addition to its “The Equalibirists” exhibition (June 17–September 10, 2016) of work by emerging Greek and Cypriot artists at Athens’s Benaki Museum (organized with New York’s New Museum), the DESTE Foundation has tapped Roberto Cuoghi to create its annual site-specific exhibition at the Projectspace.
The show is titled “Putiferio,” which means “stink” or “ruckus” in Latin, and according to the exhibition description “may also signify chaos or a small taste of hell.”
To that end, there’s plenty of fire and brimstone, as Cuoghi has created a number of different kilns, including a volcanic-looking number perched on the edge of a cliff, overlooking the sea.
The resulting work is made from materials as varied as wood, newspapers, raw clay, and custom-blended mixes of proteins and yeast, shaped into strange crab sculptures and other curious objects.
Guests at the show’s opening celebration witnessed a live performance from Cuoghi, who braved the flaming hot ovens to create additional sculptural works.
The Italian artist’s installation may push the envelope in a country dealing with serious concerns, but that’s no surprise coming from Joannou. “When people ask how I define DESTE’s program,” wrote Joannou, as quoted by Vulture, “I respond that I do whatever I want.”