From 14 December 2024 to 12 January 2025, the Sassi di Matera, a World Heritage Site, will become the stage for “Map (Star) the World – Matera” by Vincenzo Marsiglia, conceived by Momart Gallery and curated by Matteo Galbiati: an unprecedented dialogue between past and future thanks to the digital art and augmented reality of the Italian artist who – after inaugurating the Art Fair in Paris and Arte in Nuvola in Rome in 2023 and having dialogued with the medieval structures of the Casa di Boccaccio in Certaldo – arrives for the first time in the heart of the South, among the primitive cave dwellings that have inspired generations of creatives and directors.
Here, Marsiglia combines the latest frontiers of digital creativity – luminous origami, immersive experiences and mixed reality mapping – with the architectural beauty of the Sassi di Matera in an initiative that celebrates the historical heritage of the city, transforming it into a laboratory of artistic and technological innovation.
Through an exhibition path that winds between exteriors and interiors, with “Map (Star) the World – Matera” Marsiglia proposes a reflection on the relationship between tradition and avant-garde, offering the public an experience that goes beyond temporal and spatial boundaries. Through the fusion of public art, traditional exhibitions and digital technologies, it offers an experience that unites the material world with the virtual one, stimulating a reflection on the infinite possibilities of the dialogue between memory and future. In the heart of the square of San Pietro Caveoso, the public installation “Space Light” uses a LED projector to draw a four-pointed star, the artist’s distinctive symbol: this projection, which dialogues with the irregular surfaces of the Sassi, creates an evocative atmosphere, merging light with the thousand-year-old stones and offering a new perspective on the architectural heritage of the city. If “Space Light“, conceived in harmony with the Christmas context of the Living Nativity Scene, represents an invitation to explore the link between history and innovation, the Momart Gallery, not far from the main square, hosts the exhibition that invites visitors to discover an artistic universe made of traditional materials such as wood and onyx, alongside more experimental works such as fluorescent origami, which reinterpret historical signs through a contemporary lens.
The exhibition culminates with an immersive experience made possible by the HoloLens 2 viewers, which allow digital elements to be superimposed on physical spaces, transforming the perception of Matera and revealing a new dimension, in which past and future meet.
“Map (Star) the World – Matera” is not only an artistic project, but an opportunity to reflect on the role of the city as a bridge between memory and innovation. Matera thus becomes a place where art, through the use of the most advanced technologies, stimulates a dialogue between different generations and cultures, strengthening the bond between the local community and its heritage. Vincenzo Marsiglia invites the public to explore new ways of interacting with the urban context, suggesting a vision of heritage not as a static element, but as a living space, in continuous evolution. This project contributes to redefining the image of the city, projecting it onto the international scene as a center of cultural and innovative excellence.
“Map (Star) the World – Matera” takes place with the patronage of the City of Matera, the support of the Basilicata Region, in collaboration with Momart Gallery.
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