“Essere Oltre” is an installation measuring 500 x 550 x 600 cm, made of steel, aluminium, oil-painted polycarbonate panels and tar.

Realised for the third edition of the Arte alle Corti urban art exhibition, it was designed thanks to the support of the Fresia Alluminio spa company – which acquired it at the end of the event, in January 2024 – to set it up again at the company’s headquarters in Volpiano.

The work stems from an idea linked to perspective, reconnecting with the early works on spatiality tackled by Stoisa in the Seventies, thinking of Brunelleschi’s perspective, where in 1420 the painting was supposed to be a window open to the world. In this case, the artist ‘raised his gaze’ and turned to space, choosing to represent a set of different shapes and colours, otherworldly but with a very earthly reference.

From a technical point of view, the materials to realise this work were chosen according to the commission – in particular aluminium – with a particular focus by Stoisa together with architect Ferrero on the use of transparent panels, to work on the crossing of the light as a white element of the figuration.

Excerpts from the technical interview with Luigi Stoisa:

‘Through drawing, I started from shapes and colours dear to me, placed inside structures capable of opening up – identified then in the typical shape of windows. Thus a superimposed tower was born, made up of three storeys and with a series of windows wide open to the outside, projected into space.’

‘The study of cathedral windows was very useful for me to understand how to manage colour and transparency. Distant galaxies and stars contrast with close-up scenes revealing embryonic figures, a reference to creation. In fact, I have been thinking about space and creation, about what we go looking for ‘beyond’. In my opinion we go looking for someone similar to us, who is better than us’.

‘The sponsorship of this work (by Fresia Alluminio spa ed.) allowed the realisation of a highly technological structure that I would otherwise not have thought of realising, first and foremost for reasons related to size, but not only that, I would not have had the advanced technology at my disposal that instead allowed me to realise the work in a much more scenographic way. Initially we wanted to make a catwalk for the public to pass through the installation, but then we gave up for safety reasons. I don’t exclude that it could be organised on another occasion, the work is made to be crossed, to be observed from many infinite points of view.’

‘The title of the work – which is always very important in the reading of my works, both conceptually and to inspire reflection – refers to the idea of escapism, it suggests man’s ability to aim at other horizons, far away and better than the contemporary one’.

The interview was carried out as part of the Keart – keep an eye on art project, sponsored by Fresia Alluminio spa in dialogue with Arte alle corti