an exhibition proposal
The Italian Balcony
Ascoli Piceno a.a 2019-2020
Narrative Spaces
prof. Giulia Menzietti
An exhibition proposal analyzing the dichotomy of an idealized “architettura sporgente.”
The Italian balcony is recognized throughout the world as a romanticized image, often gracing postcards, Pinterest boards, and mass-printed novelty canvasses. The pandemic is not the first time this architectural element has been an unexpected protagonist in Italy’s story. A stage and a viewing box, inside and outside, private and public – the balcony is a space of tension, contradiction, and collaboration woven into unspoken negotiations.
Divided into 5 sections – Evolution, Gender, Politics, Cinema, and Relations – the exhibition takes place in an existing covered market full of everyday interactions. Platforms and protrusions immerse spectators in varying positions of power and vulnerability throughout the exhibition, making them viscerally aware of the inherent tensions the balcony presents.