During Milano Art Week, which brings various events to the city offering exhibitions and activities to the public, NABA and Yakult Italia inaugurated the exhibition "BacteriArt3, from Invisible to Visible" at the NABA campus in Milan. The event on April 12 marked the conclusion of the project’s third edition. An esteemed jury awarded the three works created by the Academy students who best depicted the world of microbiology through art.

"BacteriArt3, from Invisible to Visible": The NABA project in collaboration with Yakult

Curated by Andris Brinkmanis (NABA Bachelor of Arts in Painting and Visual Arts Course Leader) and Letizia Mari (BacteriArt3 project leader and NABA Alumna), the project was conceived to unite two excellences, one scientific and the other artistic, under a single theme: the centrality of the human microbiota for psychophysical health. Intending to highlight the fundamental role that the microbial community plays in human health, "BacteriArt3, from invisible to visible," also this year presented a new challenge to our students: to make visible the micro-world of bacteria that inhabit the human intestine through the language of art and creativity.

To this purpose, the project, which started in November 2023, included laboratories, exploratory workshops, and a lecture with artists and experts in communication and visual arts. These activities allowed students from the Bachelor of Arts in Painting and Visual Arts and the Master of Arts in Visual Arts and Curatorial Studies to delve into this year's theme, the centrality of the microbiota in interpersonal relationships, exploring the concept of the "exposome,” which is the relationship between the external environment and the internal environment of the human body and what results from their interaction.

"BacteriArt3, from Invisible to Visible": finalist works

The work of the participating students, carried out during the Academic Year 2023/24, was guided, selected, and ultimately evaluated by an international jury comprising prominent figures from the artistic and scientific fields. Led by Michelangelo Pistoletto, it included internationally renowned artists such as Agnieszka Kurant, Nomeda and Gediminas Urbonas, Tomás Saraceno, as well as experts like Professor Patrizia Brigidi (Professor of “Fermentation Biotechnology” at the University of Bologna), Dr. Valeria Sagheddu (microbiologist and researcher), Giulia Ronchi (editorial director of Exibart), Alice Politi (Wellness Editor of Vanity Fair Italia), and Arianna Rolandi (Science and Corporate Communication Director at Yakult Italia), in addition to the representatives of the Academy Marco Scotini (NABA Visual Arts Department Head) and Andris Brinkmanis (NABA Bachelor of Arts in Painting and Visual Arts Course Leader).

The works and the young artists awarded during the event on April 12 are:

• Sylvestro’s Studio (Davide Barbieri, Elisa Ceneri, Davide Militano) clinched the top spot with the piece "Pseudocoralis," unanimously recognised as the winner of the "BacteriArt Prize";
• Alessandra Redondi received the "Shirota Prize" for the scientific depth in the design of the artwork "Fase Log";
• Margherita Marzani's “Spots“ piece was awarded the "New Visions Prize" for the innovative interpretation of the assigned theme.

In addition to the winning projects, the event showcased artworks by the students Maria Camila Duque Acosta, Cristina Malerba, Kenny Alexander Laurence, Stefania Meleaca, Chiara Porzio, Giulia Allegrone.

"BacteriArt3, from Invisible to Visible": exploratory workshops and exclusive lecture

Among the workshops attended by students throughout the project, the first featured artist Agnieszka Kurant, whose innovative perspective on the intersection of art, science, and technology encouraged participants to conceive their creations as pulsating life ecosystems capable of fostering innovation through collaboration across different disciplines.

Subsequently, the workshop with Gediminas Urbonas, MIT researcher and architect, as well as a NABA lecturer, merged art, science, architecture, and design into a unified whole, opening up new collaborative interpretations of art. His perception of ecosystems as places of exchange and cohabitation indeed broadened new perspectives on artistic creation as an integral part of a larger system.

The journey continued at the Pistoletto Foundation in Biella, where artist Michelangelo Pistoletto allowed students to immerse themselves in his artistic universe during a lecture focused on creating artistic performances.

The final workshop hosted international artist Tomás Saraceno, who shared his latest research, sparking a rich debate on the nuances and specifics of the projects presented by students, and enriching their practice with references to the complexity and richness of contemporary artistic practices.