November 4, 2016March of the Penguins
Today the story that we are going to tell you is about the penguin, Cracking Art artwork that represents one of the most beloved animals in the world.
The origins of the penguin go back to 2005, when the exhibit “Sul filo della Lana” curated by Philippe Daverio took place at Museo del Territorio Biellese and Fabbrica Pria in Biella. The exhibition constituted a perfect opportunity to create a new artwork, an animal related to a cold climate that could sympathize with the theme of wool.
The choice fell immediately on the penguin that for accidental circumstances caught the media attention precisely in those years. In addition to “March of the Penguins”, a nature documentary directed and co-written by Luc Jacquet that became a real cult all over the world, the debate on global warming and melting ice became intense among the ecologists. Cracking Art imagined a long march of blue penguins with their woolen scarves emigrating from the Antarctic to Biella, finding refuge in these areas of Italy.
An ideal symbol for the movement, not only because of its ecological meaning but also for the friendly nature of this animal. The penguin, with its funny gait, loves staying in large families in order to nest and reproduce. It is also a very determined and courageous animal, able to make great efforts to survive renewing its existence.
After Biella, the penguin was among Cracking Art animals in several installations. From “Red Penguin in Venice” on the Grand Canal in Venice at Biennale 2005, to “March of the Penguins Yellow”, the permanent installation created in 2008 for the exhibit “RE-evolution” at Kampa Museum in Prague.
In addition, since 2005, the penguin has become the symbol of 21C Museum Hotels in USA. Here different families of penguins have become exclusive mascots: red for Louisville, green for Betonville, fuchsia for Durham, blue for Lexington, yellow for Cincinnati, purple for Oklahoma City. In the hotels’ halls and through the museums’ spaces it’s easy to meet these animals, ideal travel and life companions thanks to the empathy they can inspire.
