Stefano Cagol – FLU POWER FLU - BeursSchouwburg, A. Ortsstraat 20-28, 1000 Brussels :: 2007 - 2008 :: Opening: September 29, 2007 ::

FLU as physical and mental, positive and negative influenza / influence. POWER as capacity to exercise influence, control, authority over others. FLU POWER FLU takes the form of public intervention, highlighting contemporary influences, beliefs, pre/misconceptions and belonging. Power, in various forms extends its influence to our daily lives yet our notion of power and its extent of influence is often, perhaps deliberately, overlooked. Moving and interacting within/outside “centers of power” of past and actual Europe, be it cultural, political or financial, FLU POWER FLU aptly questions their authority and invites reflexivity yet inevitably becoming an accomplice to these power games.

FLU POWER FLU in Brussels will feature a white neon writing on the facade of the building of Beursschouwburg in the historical hearth of the city, of the “capital” of Europe, using typical glittering tools of propaganda and hinting at the universal appeal for power, at once resisted yet irresistible. In this way the project highlights how “power”, as manifested through the visible centers of respected authority, influences inhabits every aspect of contemporary society and is silently rooted in every individual. So the intervention into the city’s political, financial and cultural “centre of power” invites a wide public to re-examine our understanding of identity in relation to authority, nation-hood and globalization. Inviting reflexivity, it pertinently questions the authority of these influence centers while highlighting their significance in framing a sense of belonging, pride and unity. Anyway, suspended in-between the negative and positive, familiar and implied meanings of the terms “power” and “flu”, my engagement with the public underlines the complexity of power and authority. Neither definitive nor univocal, these concepts are infinitely expanded.

With the words FLU POWER FLU emblazoned on the building, this project continues my investigations into contemporary influences. It developed in 2007 with the BIRD FLU VOGELGRIPPE intervention in Auguststrasse at the Berlin Biennale, and with the POWER STATION satellite intervention at the Singapore Biennale.

At the same time Stefano Cagol in October will have other two public projects. The former is at Kunst Merano Arte (opening on October 5th) and with a BIG action with a sort of parade of a marching band and flags (installed for 2 moths on the street) in the heart of the ancient city and a large dimension installation inside the museum + a double video-projection. For this show he will have a partner that will realize a very interesting floor project: Stealth from Rotterdam. While the latter (opening on October 6th) is a permanent installation in Bozen, Italy titled CHESS TIME, TIME INFLUENCES: it’s a 211 square feet chess platform on black & white marble, with diffused engraved words about time, in Italian and German language as the two cultures of this border region. It’s part of a City project about ‘urban time’.

Stefano Cagol was born in ‘69 in Italy, and studied at Brera Academy in Milan and at Ryerson University in Toronto. Lives and works in Italy. In May, 2008 he will hold a solo show at Priska Juschka Fine Art, New York. In 2007, in autumn he realizes a solo public art installation as a one year long commission for entiremuseum façade at BeursSchouwburg in Brussels, a project - together with Stealth.ultd, Rotterdam - at Kunst Merano Arte for ‘From_and_to’, and a permanent public art installation in Bolzano for ‘Time Code’. He held a solo show at NADiff -New Art Diffusion, Tokyo, a solo public art intervention in Venice called “Head Flu”, and was present at National Museum of Arts of Hanoi for ‘Tendencies of contemporary research’, at National Gallery of New Delhi for ‘The edge of vision’, and at New Chinatown Barbershop of Los Angeles for ‘Bellavita’. In 2006 he realized an official satellite project at Singapore Biennale, and an off-project at Berlin Biennale. And he took part in the ‘Zoo logical garden’ group show at Harry Malter park of Ghent. Among his previous exhibitions, we remember his solo show in 2000 at Mart - Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art of Trento and Rovereto.