08-11-22 | A Postmodern Menagerie

Anyone enjoying HBO’s latest series of White Lotus may recognise the juxtaposition of frollicking fun and unsettling symbolism, seemingly inherent to contemporary popular perceptions of Italy’s cultural persona. And so now seems as good a time as any to celebrate the work of an artist and designer, whose reputation in life sadly did not precede her widely enough. Goldsmiths’ Centre of Contemporary arts serves the work’s dualism well in its installation layout. The use of lighting, music and video quickly enhance key themes of popular culture and the fashion world, while hosting an iteration of the artist’s final 2019 exhibition, ‘la règle du jeu?’, on the basement floor bodes well for an eerie experience of some of the most unnerving work on display. Namely the arrangement of ‘Mano sonora’ with ‘Saudade’, whereby a mannequin hand plays distressing sounds of whimpering and squawking animals, hinting at the ornaments of furs, feathers and bones draped over the branches of ‘Saudade’, which loosely translated describes a deeply melancholic nostalgia.

Though this show could easily be received as throwaway fun, centering on the frivolities of 1970s and 80s fashion; a double edged sword emerges from Ruggeri’s multi-faceted approach to designing and making. What is most striking about this extensive collection of ultimately functional works, is the thread which seems to bind the artist to an ongoing fascination with the natural world. Depictions of this, though often tongue-in-cheek (references to the terms, ‘pearls before swine’ and ‘what came first, the chicken or the egg?’) are sometimes creepingly disturbing, with interruptions such as grotesque plastic detailing on a garment’s shoulder - vomit being made light work of by a series of cartoonish rats. And in a way it might all appear to be a bit rich and sickly sweet to stomach. However it is these underlying disruptions to what could be considered kitsch which prevent the work from falling into being simply entertaining. This exhibition will hopefully be a catalyst to perpetuate a far greater appreciation for Cinzia Ruggeri and her distinctive approach to making, posthumously.

‘Cinzia says…’ is on display at Goldsmiths Centre for Contemporary art until 12 February 2023.

1. ‘Cinzia says…’, Cinzia Ruggeri, Installation view at CCA’s Bridget Riley Gallery, 2022

2. Garments from Bloom A/W 1981-1982 collection

3. Vanity armchair with LED plush cats circa 1992

4. Shirt from Bloom A/W 1981-82 collection, all Cinzia Ruggeri

5. Mano Sonora and Saudade, Cinzia Ruggeri, 2019