the wizard of montefiascone (the man who knows) will show you the way to a radiant future of knowledge, success, love and wealth in the art world and beyond.

is it possible to imagine that our fate depends on the formation of a flock of birds? or that we can foresee our destiny in a calf’s interiors? what real life expectancy assigns us a radiograph? is it possible to divine the future from the arrangement of some sticks thrown on a table? why should we choose a way or another from how a coin fall? with what safety can a liquid crystal display in the station tell us where we will be in a few hours? why statistics don’t make us stop smoking? for centuries art has been the only true language of the unpredictable. which is not the bourgeois mirror of society, that portrays it naturally (of course), but the enigma to be questioned, the only one capable of vertical, ambiguous, powerful answers as in-useful, otherwise impossible for the word. and the only true, miserable, secular oracle is the artist. come, consult him, do not be ashamed to ask the artist and his work for hints about love, work, health, about the most important and mysterious things in life; he will tell you nothing more than what you already know without knowing it. that is not small thing.

the great cuppone, il mago di montefiascone (the man who knows) / 2017 / lambda print / 27 x 44 cm 

the great cuppone, il mago di montefiascone (the man who knows) / decalogue of instructions

decalogue of instructions for interpreting the oracle / 1. you have the opportunity to ask the artist about everything you want. / 2. you only have 10 minutes to share with the artist: it’s a great gift. make the most of it! / 3. ask only precise questions. / 4. the artist will only answer directly: with a”yes”, with a “no” or with a”i don’t know”. / 5. if the artist moves to your left it will be a “yes”, to your right a “no” if she will not move right or left it will mean “i don’t know”. / 6. you could interpret her other movements and expressions freely, but do not insist on having further explanations. / 7. do not tire her, do not overdo by asking too many questions! i suggest you ask, at most, one per minute. / 8. write down your questions and answers on the back of the paper, fold it and place it in the magic box. / 9. take the work of divinatory art chosen exclusively for you by the artist. / 10. decide whether to break it to “know” your future or to preserve it to “enjoy” the artwork.

the great cuppone, il mago di montefiascone (the man who knows) / 2017 / table, chair, tablecloth, wire mesh, straw, chicken feed, 1 magic crystal sphere, 1 magic box, 60 decalogues of instructions, 60 fortune cookies, 60 business cards / site specific live installation at montefiascone’s former prison / italy

the powerful artist-oracle genoveffa

after the two days in which, with great generosity, she had donated her great wisdom to all, i asked the artist-oracle genoveffa her impressions and if she had found this experience useful. her answer was lapidary: “only uselessness is needed!” on the 21st of august, a few days later, genoveffa left us. in the following days she appeared in my dreams. with the humility that has always distinguished her, she wanted to thank me and those who had consulted her. at my question if she was angry with the people who did not understand, she replied: “not everyone is ready … but everything happens for a purpose.” her spirit will guide us. i will always be grateful to her for having chosen me to share her knowledge with you.