Gianmarco Donaggio’s Alba Nera marks his second collaboration with painter Nelson Ferreira. Starting from Ferreira’s Black Velvet and PlatiGleam paintings series, Donaggio delves further into the concept of the visible, exploring the fascinating virtue of images 'appearing' or 'presenting' themselves to the observer. 

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In this work, black serves as the space in which images both emerge and vanish. It acts as a Demiurge figure, intricately weaving a marvelous thread to construct the screen upon which representation can manifest.

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Donaggio's experiments within the realm of black culminate in the creation of a short film, a poem, and an AV installation merging the two. As with some of his previous works, such as 'Milano di Carta' (2020), filmmaking is the primary impulse of his research. However, the outcomes often transcend the cinematic form, expanding into other mediums and further experimentations. Process and materiality are central to Donaggio's approach; hence, 'Alba Nera' is not merely a concept but rather an experiment or an intuition.

The Monastery of Batalha - UNESCO - Portugal, June-September 2024