Pratza ’e Domo: A Semiotic House That Was Never Built

The project is created by Nairy Baghramian for the museum following the awarding of the 2023 Nivola Prize for sculpture.

The exhibition curated by Giuliana Altea, Antonella Camarda, Luca Cheri features works by the artists and designers Nairy Baghramian, Phyllida Barlow, Nicolas Hsiung, Janette Laverrière, Rosemary Mayer, Win McCarthy, Julie Mehretu, Oscar Murillo, Paulina Olowska, Monika Sosnowska, Mariantonia Urru.

The title “Pratza ’e Domo” (literally “home square”) takes up the expression that in Sardinia designates the space in front of a house, often equipped with a bench or chair on which one can rest: a transition area not clearly delimited, private and public at the same time, both individual and collective.

The artist envisions the house as a utopian space, never built and possibly never to be, yet imagining it makes its existence credible. This provisional environment supports the continuous development and re-assembly of ideas and projects, with each fragment as an independent creation contributing to a broader context.

The project explores boundaries between public and private spaces, transforming the museum into a domestic-like environment reminiscent of a house. This interplay imbues the space with qualities of welcome and protection, allowing diverse artistic discourses to coexist.