Venice Past

The collection of Mr. X, the man who lived 500 years

Sep 28^th

Feb 08^th 2020

Gabriela Albergaria
Kiluanji Kia Henda
Nicolás Robbio
João Vilhena

Group show curated by Joana P. R. Neves

Alberta Pane gallery (Venice) is pleased to present “The collection of Mr. X, the man who lived 500 years”, group show curated by Joana P. R. Neves, featuring artworks of Gabriela Albergaria, Kiluanji Kia Henda, Nicolás Robbio, and João Vilhena.

Mr.X wishes to remain anonymous. Taxes? Shady businesses? Humbleness? It will be up to the spectator to speculate. One of his most striking characteristics is his longevity: he was born in 1519 and, mystifyingly, is still alive today. Mr. X has a very strong relation with Portugal. During one of his business trips in the eighteenth century, he started collecting curiosities and then art (mostly paintings and sculptures).
"The collection of Mr. X, the man who lived 500" years celebrates his 500th anniversary. He wrote a letter to the four artists whose work he bought most recently, asking them to choose a work for the exhibition.

Exhibition view 'The collection of Mr. X, the man who lived 500 years', 2019 @Galleria Alberta Pane, Venice

KIluanji Kia Henda, Segundo Regicídio (The black square), 2018, inkjet print on cotton paper, 170 x 110 cm

Gabriela Albergaria, Amazonia Seeds #2, 2016-2019, 6 pieces: 74 x 1 9 cm each, 74 x 120 cm all, laser cut on John Purcel Bookwhite 315 gr paper - Edition: 2/3

João Vilhena, Monsieur X, 2019, pierre noir on grey cardboard, 72 x 58 cm

Gabriela Albergaria, Peça para a Parede, 2015, bronze, 16 x 13 x 5 cm

Kiluanji Kia Henda, In the days of a dark safari #5, 2017, inkjet print on cotton paper, 80 x 120 cm

Nicolás Robbio, Exhibition view 'The collection of Mr. X, the man who lived 500 years', 2019 @Galleria Alberta Pane

Nicolás Robbio, Arquitectura de una memoria, Serie estudios de tensión, 2019, installation, thread, wood, chicken bones, coins (detail)

Kiluanji Kia Henda, The palace of abstract power - the building series 1, 2014, silkscreen and inkjet print on photographic paper, 100 x 100 cm each

João Vilhena, Collection Artistique - Afrique, 2015, pierre noir on grey cardboard, 140,5 x 202 cm

Exhibition view, 'The collection of Mr. X, the man who lived 500 years', 2019 @Galleria Alberta Pane, Venice

Gabriela Albergaria, Equator / Equador, 2015-2019, variable dimensions, 13 bronze cast tree thorns, edition: 1/3

João Vilhena, Un-séparables, 2019, color pencil, graphite, gouache and felt on paper, 39 x 31 cm