The Laura Pecci Gallery presents the British artist mark wallinger (Chigwell, Essex, 1959) in his first solo exhibition in Italy. The Gallery is showing his latest work, including the video film "Threshold to the Kingdom", commissioned by the Contemporary Arts Programme of the British School at Rome. The show reflects the ongoing in-depth inspiration wallinger takes from the complex themes of faith and the Word of God, which he illustrates through writings, images and the spoken word.

 In his videos "Angel", "Hymn" and "Prometheus", wallinger interpreted several roles that were seemingly contradictory (the angel, the prophet, the shaman and the imposter). He now appears again in the color photographs presented by Laura Pecci, lending symbolical meaning to the figure of Jesus Christ.

 "The eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing." (Ecclesiastes 8.9)

"Whosoever eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood dwelleth in me, and I in him." (John 6.56)

These are the titles of two large color texts printed with a three-dimensional effect, that explore the way that the language of the scriptures describes our alienation from the consolation of faith.

 Other works of art presented by the Gallery are "Miracle", an installation with 12 glasses of wine that uses optical illusion, and an installation of a small cell where, through a hole, an illuminated text on an obsolete computer appears that says: "I'm the light of the world".

 wallinger started his artistic career at the beginning of the '80's. He studied at the Chelsea School of Art (London) and at Goldsmith's College (London), participated in numerous exhibitions in museums and galleries of Great Britain and abroad. In 1995 he was among the finalists of the Turner Prize, in 1997 he participated in the "Sensation" exhibition of the Royal Academy of London. In 1999 his work was shown in a large solo show at the Museum fuer Gegenwartskunst in Basel and at Portikus in Frankfurt.

 Since the beginning of the '80's, wallinger has been working with ironic spirit and scourging criticism on the themes of identity crises, tradition, politics, economy and faith.

Finding analogies in themes as diverse as sports or public institutions, the artist describes social codes and conventions and reveals their absurdities and anachronisms in his use of painting, video, installations and scupture.