Maurizio Cattelan curates an exhibition in Milan at the ICA Foundation

The ICA Foundation in Milan opens 2025 with an exhibition project dedicated to two important female figures of the 20th century, namely Birgit Jürgenssen and Cinzia Ruggeri, in an exhibition curated by Maurizio Cattelan and Marta Papini. Lonely Are All Bridges is the title of the two-person exhibition that brings together the works of Birgit Jürgenssen (Vienna, 1949 - 2003) and Cinzia Ruggeri (Milan, 1942 - 2019). The exhibition will be on view from January 16 to March 15, 2025 in the foundation’s spaces at 26 Via Orobia.

The title of the exhibition, taken from a verse by Austrian poet Ingeborg Bachmann, captures the spirit of the two artists, who share a research that challenges conventions and builds bridges between different disciplines. Although they have never met, their works converse ideally, interweaving reflections on the role of women in society, identity and transformation.

A dialogue across time and disciplines

Born in Vienna in 1949, Birgit Jürgenssen was a leading figure of the European feminist avant-garde, famous for her ability to transform everyday objects into works with a strong conceptual impact. Cinzia Ruggeri, from Milan born in 1942, has ranged between art, design and fashion, exploring the boundary between aesthetics and function. Both have tackled the theme ofornament andaccessory, interpreting them as an extension of the body and a means of asserting identity.

The exhibition, made possible thanks to the collaboration of the Birgit Jürgenssen Estate in Vienna and the Cinzia Ruggeri Archive in Milan, offers a selection of works capable of highlighting the experimental approach of the two artists, emphasizing how their research is still relevant today in the debate on aesthetics, politics and identity.

Maurizio Cattelan and Marta Papini offer a new key to interpret Jürgenssen and Ruggeri’s research. The curatorial approach, based on crossing disciplinary boundaries, highlights the two artists’ ability to transform the everyday into a critical narrative. The exhibition thus invites the public to reflect on the cultural legacy of two figures who anticipated many of the issues that innervate the contemporary.

The realization of the exhibition was made possible thanks to the support of Galerie Hubert Winter and Galleria Federico Vavassori. The ICA Milan Foundation also expresses gratitude to the Cinzia Ruggeri Archive and the Estate of Birgit Jürgenssen for their collaboration, and to Intesa Sanpaolo, the foundation’s official sponsor, for supporting the exhibition activities.

Maurizio Cattelan curates an exhibition in Milan at the ICA Foundation

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