Adelaide Cioni: Ab Ovo / On Patterns

“A pattern is an awkward attempt to point towards infinity and nature, an act of foolish bravery in front of something huge.”

For her first solo show in the UK, Italian artist Adelaide Cioni (b. 1976) presents Ab ovo / On Patterns. The exhibition is the culmination of the artist’s ongoing exploration of decorative patterns and is her most ambitious project to date, investigating visual language across mediums in a large-scale format. Presented at Mimosa House, the exhibition is curated by Ilaria Puri Purini and supported by the Italian Council, Directorate-General for Contemporary Creativity, Italian Ministry of Culture. It runs from March 9 until April 25, 2023 and admission is free.

The focus of Ab ovo (literally “from the egg, from the very beginning”) is the recurrence of abstract patterns—stripes, triangles, grids, circles, stylized leaves and stars—both in artefacts and in nature. These recur throughout history and across geographical areas, from early non-western visual imagery to present-day systems. Ab ovo is a song of the margins, these images have no voice and no story, yet they are deeply rooted in our memory. Ab ovo is a lens through which we can look at our way of using language and narration, at our relationship with nature and objects, at the way we experience time and difference and marginality, and our sense of community.

Cioni works at the intersection of painting, textiles and performance. Drawing is at the core of her practice, based on a feminist non-narrative approach. During the exhibition she will premiere a new performance (on March 8 and 11) exploring how music and the dancing body respond to these abstract patterns.

There will be an artist’s talk on March 30 and the Ab ovo publication will be launched on April 25.

Cioni says, “Patterns are the visualization of a rhythm in space. This rhythm takes on different shapes and colours to express the different vibrations of whoever is creating it. And it is repetitive and constant because that is the basis of life. The heart and our internal organs are repetitive and constant. They are the bass line of our existence. So, patterns are a portrayal of the bass line of our existence. Making or drawing a pattern is like singing a song. Projecting out your own rhythm, your own vibration. To see it double itself, to have confirmation of your being real.“

Events
Performance: March 8–11, Saturday performances will be at 4pm and 5pm.
Artist talk: March 30, 7–8pm, with Mistura Allison.
Book launch: April 25, 7–8pm, On Patterns, with with Jennifer Higgie and Ilaria Puri Purini, moderated by Habda Rashid.