Entitled POLLUTION, the exhibition depicts its dedication to analyze the relationship between animals and human being. This new site specific research is based on the contact within these two worlds from an objective and detached perspective. The artist hides her point of view behind images that intend to present the reality exactly as it appears to her eyes, burying any form of direct criticism. Nevertheless, sometime images, taken from Chinese books, show scientific experiments and invasive interventions that humankind does into the animal kingdom for its own questionable use and consumption. Then, the artist, thanks to her refine aesthetic taste, matches these cruel images with some soothing traditional painting pictures. Referring to paper as the Chinese traditional material par excellence, Cogo chose the white color as the supporting color of the entire series.

Federica Cogo's residency in Beijing, actually started in Chongqing, where she flew to just few hours after her arrival in Beijing. In deed, the prestigious Sichuan Fine Art Academy - New Media Department has selected and invited the artist to join the "Experimental Art Committee of Chinese Artists Association annual meeting 2013 and the Second International New Media Art Forum" and to take part to "From painting to animation — Research and practice in experimental animation" exhibition. During her staying in Chongqing she experienced the worst polluted condition in her life; this suddenly turns to be the most prominent inspiration and influence to her work. This is why in this new series, colors are so light and opaque as the fog and the white grey sky she has constantly seen during those first days. Furthermore, the white color also represent the space without time: an existential vacuum, a pure concept, which provides an emotional detachment. In the background, images of landscapes and flowers, as a soften visual elements, which remind us of the Chinese culture and drive the viewer to a sort of spiritual silence and research, with the willingness to join in all.

*image (left)
Pollution #4, 2013
paper-cut, 40x40cm
© Federica Cogo