With his study of natural landscapes through large-scale sculptures, photography, video installations and projections, Michel Comte highlights the rapid process of change, rising ocean levels and the decline of the remaining ice masses so essential to our survival. Two exhibitions form the first part of this remarkable presentation: Light in Rome at the MAXXI museum from 14 November to 10 December 2017, and Black Light, White Light at the Triennale di Milano from 28 November to 1 January 2018. Comte’s work originates from the his decades-long passion for climbing and aviation, which has offered him an unprecedented opportunity to observe and portray glacial landscapes all over the world. The installation in La Triennale invites visitors into a silent, luminous world, where it is possible to appreciate the precious energy that the earth – together with humanity – can produce. In this second exhibition, the artist envisions it is possible to imagine how trajectories can shift; that our destiny is not written in the stars. Black Light, White Light reveals how the power of nature and beauty can inspire us to create a better world.
“We are at the tipping point where we have the possibility with new technology and knowledge to make real change for the better,” says artist Michel Comte. “Visionaries have demonstrated what one man with true conviction and a plan is able to achieve. Our vision has to be clearly directed towards the light.”
Light and Black White, White Light are the first of a series of exhibitions to take place at multiple locations around the globe in 2017 and 2018. They are not only an exquisite series of works; both act as a reminder of the truth, a political statement and a call to arms. As Light presents the effects of climate change over glacier landscapes in such in a powerful way, WWF Italia has decided to collaborate with the project by promoting a range of climate-change awareness-raising activities. These are in addition to the recently launched WWF campaign, Planet is Calling, which aims to raise awareness of the need for concrete responses to the undeniable signs of how our planet is reacting to climate change in 2017.
Black Light, White Light Michel Comte Curated by Jens Remes, Triennale di Milano, Viale Alemagna, 6 20121? Milan, 28th November – 1st January 2018. www.triennale.org
Artist Statement
On November 28, 2017, La Triennale di Milano will open the second part of the Light
project. The aspect of this installation originates from a long history circling the globe and
observing the gigantic masses of ice.
We are at the tipping point where we have the possibility with new technologies and our
knowledge to make a real change for the better. Black Light, White Light, in very simple but
conceptual language, shows us the power of nature and beauty that should drive us
towards a cleaner planet. Elon Musk has demonstrated what one man with true conviction
and a plan is able to achieve. Clean energy and new ways of building cities can give us
better lives and clean air to breath.
Contemporary art gives us the freedom and power to speak freely about these issues and
part two of Light shows that we can change direction. The installation in La Triennale brings
us into a silent world where everyone should feel how important it is to value the precious
energy that the earth together with men can produce.
Something floating in the air might change our lives and our vision has to be clearly directed
towards the light. What NASA has discovered since the late 1950’s is now leading our way
into the future.
