Roman Road is pleased to present Give zero ducks to how it looks to the swans. The swarm of swans still sings the song that swears I must be wrong, the first solo exhibition by Italian artist Mauro Bonacina with the gallery. For this exhibition, Roman Road and Bonacina ask visitors to disconnect from the distractions of phones, the internet and lives lived constantly in motion, and to become immersed in the experience of a single artwork through a process of mindful contemplation.
For the duration of this exhibition, visitors will find the gallery transformed. Geographical and temporal references are deliberately eliminated by blocking out the front window, and a feeling of seclusion is created by closing all entryways and coating the walls and ceiling. By deviating from the neutral white walls that have become a standard backdrop for viewing art, Bonacina draws visitors’ attention to the inextricability of artwork and setting, encouraging them to consider how the physical space of gallery affects their experience of the artwork.
Mauro Bonacina (b.1977, Milan) lives and works in London, England. He completed his BA at Cardiff Metropolitan University in 2000 and graduated with an MA in fine arts from Goldsmiths, University of London, in 2003. In 2004 he was awarded the BOC Emerging Artist Award. Recent solo exhibitions include Yoghurt Weaver, Edel Assanti, London (2013); Maria Stenfors, London (2011); Charles Bank Gallery, New York (2010); Lucie Fontaine, Milan (2010); and Crooked Faith, Galerie Vera Munro, Hamburg (2006). Bonacina’s work has been featured in international group exhibitions, including at Württembergischer Kunstverein Stuttgart; Tate Modern, London; the Berlin Kreuzberg Biennale; and the Prague Biennale, Czech Republic.