Italy | Naima Morelli

Published! Uzbekistan at the 2025 Venice Biennale at Times of Central Asia

25-03-2025

Central Asia, Interview, Italy, Published

Is it possible to preserve architectural heritage while working towards sustainability? And what to make of the architectural relics of the past century? Can they somehow take on new meaning rather than remaining a representation of dystopias and utopias of the past?

All these questions and more are addressed by the Uzbekistan Pavilion at the 2025 Venice Architecture Biennale. Running alternate years with the Art Biennale, this is undoubtedly one of the most important architectural events in the international arena.

I have interviewed Ekaterina Golovatyuk of Studio GRACE, the architectural film that curated the Uzebek Pavillion. The piece is for Times of Central Asia.

Here is the link to the interview

Published! Arab pavillions at the Venice Biennale on Hadara

By: Naima Morelli

02-10-2024

Italy, Middle East, News, North Africa, Published, Reportage

Being a foreigner is more than a state of mind. It is a state of the soul. The foreigner’s journey can be painful or enriching. Often it is both, as illustrated by a number of Arab artists at the 60th International Art Exhibition in Venice, which continues through November 24.

Stranieri Ovunque, or Foreigners Everywhere, the theme of the Biennale chosen by curator Adriano Pedrosa, subverts the linear Western art trajectory by bringing outsider narratives to the forefront. The theme allows for explorations of identity, ethnicity, gender and belonging.

Published! Interview with director of Palestine Museum US for MEMO

By: Naima Morelli

01-02-2024

English, Interview, Italy, Middle East, Published, Research

Faisal Saleh, founder of Palestinian Museum, speaks during the inauguration of the facility in Woodbridge, Connecticut, April 22, 2018. [HECTOR RETAMAL/AFP via Getty Images]

“A few months ago, the director of the Palestine Museum US, Faisal Saleh, was in a room in Venice with members of the commission for the 2024 Venice Art Biennale. They tried to explain to him why his proposal for a collateral exhibition of Palestinian artists was rejected.

Saleh is not only Palestinian, but also very American in his ethos. So, he told me, when the Biennale spokesperson tried to convince him that art and politics have to be kept separate, he didn’t hesitate to tell them, ‘Well, I may not be as much of an expert on art as you are, but I do know that politics and art are intertwined. You can’t really separate one from the other.’ “

Faisal Saleh, director of the Palestine Museum US has started a petition to have a Palestinian-only collateral show at the Venice Biennale 2024. I spoke with him for Middle East Monitor.

Here is the link to the interview

Published! Alessandra Ferrini and the relationship Libya-Italy on MEMO

By: Naima Morelli

03-07-2023

Interview, Italy, Libya, News, North Africa, Published

The work of Alessandra Ferrini [Image courtesy of the artist]

Middle East Monitor has just published my latest article titled: “Artist Alessandra Ferrini explores the complex relationship between Libya and Italy.”

The article is based on an interview with London-based Italian artist Alessandra Ferrini, who deepens the conversation around colonial and recent Libyan history, creating work about the manipulation of information, colonial memory, trauma and reparations.

Here is the link to the piece

Published! Birmania, gli artisti in esilio su Internazionale

By: Naima Morelli

19-12-2022

Burma, Interview, Italy, News, Published

The Italian weekly magazine Internazionale has published my piece “Gli artisti resistono in esilio”, on the Burmese artists working in exile. Once again, I’m humbled and honoured to get the chance to be a vehicle for the voices of Burmese artists, and testify their incredible strenght and resilience.

Here is the link to the piece online

Published! SEA at 2022 Venice Biennale on PluralArtMag

By: Naima Morelli

14-09-2022

Essay, Indonesia, Italy, Malaysia, News, Philippines, Published, Reportage, Singapore, Vietnam, Visit

Finally my piece on the Venice Biennale 2022 has been published by Plural Art Mag. While the piece was written in the aftermath of the opening, it came out just now, given the webmagazine’s editorial schedule.

The article is a report, as well as an overview, and it is focused on the Southeast Asian presence, which this year was much smaller compared to previous years.

Here is the link to the piece

Published! Curating Eddy Susanto in Venice on Plural Art Mag

By: Naima Morelli

30-08-2022

English, Essay, Indonesia, Italy, News, Published

There is but one truth spoken in many different languages. This belief lies at the core of Indonesian artist Eddy Susanto’s practice. With his artworks that examine the cultures of Europe and Java, he signals to us that while the forms, protagonists and settings of each culture’s mythologies differ, they ultimately convey similar fundamental truths about humanity.

Over the years, Eddy Susanto has reframed how the East and West meet. The Jakarta-born, Yogyakarta-based artist is on a mission to uncover the culture and seminal texts which are the patrimony of the Javanese. However, some of these have been forgotten over time, due to reasons such as the limits of oral transmission, the impact of colonialism and, later on, mass culture.

I have written about Eddy Susanto’s show I have curated in Venice for Plural Art Mag.

Here is the link to the piece

Curated! Eddy Susanto solo show at GAD, Venice

By: Naima Morelli

06-08-2022

Indonesia, Italy

One of my favourite Southeast Asian artist, Eddy Susanto, is currently having his first solo show in Europe, and it’s in Italy, Venice, in parallel with the 59th edition of the Venice Biennale. Called “Allegory of Hell, from Borobudur to Dante ”, the show is taking place in Venice from July 28th to September 4^th.

This is particularly relevant, considering that this year Indonesia doesn’t have its own national pavilion, so we thought of Eddy as a representative for the country. The show was sponsored by Artsociates, and I’m glad to say that I co-curated it with Valentina Levy at GAD, Giudecca Art District.

Published: Mongolian Artist Munkhtsetseg Jalkhaajav’s Visceral Art At The Venice Biennale

By: Naima Morelli

23-07-2022

Interview, Italy, News, Published

One of the most recognised contemporary Mongolian artists, Mugi has presented at the Venice Biennale a show titled “A Journey Through Vulnerability” exploring the concept of samsara, compassion, and healing.

I have interviewed the artist at the Mongolian Pavilion in Venice for CoBo Social.

Here is the link to the piece

Interview for Insight of an Eco-Artist podcast

By: Naima Morelli

04-04-2022

English, Indonesia, Interview, Italy, Middle East, Published, Singapore

Podcasts have been my constant companions since their inception, so I was thrilled when artist and journalist. Joana Alarcão interviewed for her “Insight of an Eco Artist” podcast.

In the interview I spoke a ton about researching Southeastasian contemporary art, my writing about art in the MENA region and even a little about my graphic novels, so the interview was divided in two parts.

Here is part 1 of the podcast

Published! My three-hour-long busking career on Global Comment

By: Naima Morelli

10-02-2022

Australia, Essay, Italy, Published

“When the day was over, we sat on a bench carved in stone, watching the clouds turn pink and the sea purple. We chatted about everything, from Nietzsche’s Übermensch to that cute waiter trying on me. Being part of Positano’s busking community was paradise, so I figured that in Melbourne it wouldn’t be any different.”

A little story from my personal arsenal, just published by Global Comment. I wish to have the chance to write more stories like this one in the future, alongside the arts writing. It’s really fun!

Here is the link to the piece

Published! June Yadana Bellamy for Plural Art Mag

By: Naima Morelli

10-01-2022

Burma, English, Essay, Italy

If you have any degree of familiarity with the history of politics and royalty in Burma, you will definitely know June Yadana as the daughter of the princess Ma Lat – the direct descendent of the last King of Burma – who later became the wife of the dictator Ne Win.

What is less known is June’s turbulent life across Europe and Asia, where she traversed the most significant moments at the turn of the twentieth century, always animated by a relentless spirit.

I have written about her for Plural Art Mag.

Here is the link to the piece

Naima Morelli

Published! Uzbekistan at the 2025 Venice Biennale at Times of Central Asia

Published! Arab pavillions at the Venice Biennale on Hadara

Published! Interview with director of Palestine Museum US for MEMO

Published! Alessandra Ferrini and the relationship Libya-Italy on MEMO

Published! Birmania, gli artisti in esilio su Internazionale

Published! SEA at 2022 Venice Biennale on PluralArtMag

Published! Curating Eddy Susanto in Venice on Plural Art Mag

Curated! Eddy Susanto solo show at GAD, Venice

Published: Mongolian Artist Munkhtsetseg Jalkhaajav’s Visceral Art At The Venice Biennale

Interview for Insight of an Eco-Artist podcast

Published! My three-hour-long busking career on Global Comment

Published! June Yadana Bellamy for Plural Art Mag

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