Emi Ligabue

EMI LIGABUE was born in Mantua in 1957. She currently lives and works in Milan. In the 1980s she collaborated with Studio Alchimia for Casa Alessi. In the meantime she enrolled in DAMS and began her artistic adventure as a performer by founding with Andrea Taddei the group Ferrovie Equatoriali and later the project Padiglione Italia, with which she participated in the exhibition “Una generazione post-moderna” at the Palazzo delle Esposizioni in Rome. In 1983 she decided to start working independently as a visual artist. She participated in Francesca Alinovi’s Serate Enfantiste at Galleria Neon in Bologna and in multiple group exhibitions, including La Neomerce, il design dell’invenzione e l’estasi artificiale curated by Denis Santachiara, at the Milan Triennale. In 1988 she held her first solo exhibition at the Musei Civici di Reggio Emilia, and in 1990 she participated in the reconnaissance Ipotesi Arte Giovane, organized by Flash Art magazine. Ligabue has exhibited his works in numerous solo and group shows in Italy and abroad. Among her best-known works is the series Saluti da…, which explores the imagery of Italian mountains through vintage and translucent photographs, creating prints that evoke alpine landscapes with a touch of irony and provocation. She has also illustrated books, including the latest for Marinoni Books Charlotte Perriand in 2023. Ligabue’s work has always focused on everyday objects and their memory. Using collages, sculptures and installations, she reflects on the interactions between humans and objects, often with an ironic and critical approach. Her ability to mix real and imaginary elements distinguishes her as a unique figure in the contemporary art scene.