Cecilia Vicuña at Castello di Rivoli: "El glaciar ido"

When: from 2026-04-29 to 2026-09-20
Where: Castello di Rivoli Museum of Contemporary Art, Piazzale Mafalda di Savoia 2, Rivoli (TO), Italy

The Castello di Rivoli presents the first solo museum exhibition in Italy by artist, poet and activist Cecilia Vicuña. Curated by Marcella Beccaria, the show titled El glaciar ido (The Vanished Glacier) converts the Manica Lunga into a sensory route that brings together indigenous memory, feminism and ecological concern.

At the heart of the exhibition is a newly commissioned monumental work for the third floor: quipu acostado, a suspended horizontal installation that reinterprets the Andean system of knots and cords using raw wool and textile materials. The piece evokes geological time and the mutability of natural elements — wind, water, glaciers — stressing the precariousness of human presence in the landscape.

• Materials and approach: Vicuña works with ephemeral materials and found objects in what she calls "Precarious Art."
• Local involvement: Local communities were invited to contribute natural fragments — stones, wood, feathers and shells — gathered from the Dora Riparia river and the Avigliana lakes, which are integrated into the works.
• Exhibition components: textile installations, video, sound recordings and new poems written by the artist for the project.
• Publication: the exhibition will be accompanied by a dedicated monographic publication.

The project forges a direct connection between the museum and its surrounding landscape, recalling the glaciers that once shaped the Susa Valley. The participatory nature of the works makes the visit particularly engaging for those interested in the relationship between art practice and local memory.

Practical tips for visitors:

• Check the Castello di Rivoli official website for up-to-date opening times and ticket information before visiting.
• Look for details on accessibility and guided tours in the museum’s "Visits" section.
• Pay attention to the exhibited materials and the participatory aspects: many works originate from the encounter between artistic practice and territory.