Cecilia Vicuña. El glaciar ido

A major solo exhibition in Rivoli

From April 29 to September 20, 2026, the Castello di Rivoli – Museum of Contemporary Art, located in the town of Rivoli within the Metropolitan City of Turin (Piedmont), dedicates its first Italian solo museum exhibition to Cecilia Vicuña. Titled El glaciar ido (The vanished glacier), the exhibition is hosted in the Manica Lunga on the third floor and is curated by Marcella Beccaria. This marks a return to Rivoli for Vicuña, whose work was previously featured in the 2000 group exhibition Quotidiana.

The Artist

Born in Santiago, Chile, in 1948, Cecilia Vicuña is an artist, poet, and activist. Since the 1960s, she has developed the concept of Arte Precario (Precarious Art), favoring ephemeral and participatory works often created from debris and reclaimed materials in dialogue with their specific environments and communities. Her practice blends feminist and ecological concerns, making poetic language an integral part of her visual work.

The Work: A quipu for the vanished glacier

The heart of the exhibition is a new commission conceived by Vicuña specifically for the Manica Lunga, drawing inspiration from the human and geological history of the region. The artist reinterprets the quipu—the ancient Andean system of knotted strings used to record and transmit memory—transforming it into a suspended installation that stretches horizontally across the entire space at varying heights. It serves as a tribute to extinct glaciers and a poetic, political reflection on environmental loss and the resilience of memory.

Beyond the installation

The exhibition extends beyond the main installation, showcasing the artist's poetic production, video works, and the images, sounds, and chants that have accompanied her practice since the beginning. Visitors are invited to an immersive and meditative experience where word, sound, and matter intertwine.

A season of contemporary art

Vicuña's solo show is part of the extensive 2026 exhibition program at the Castello di Rivoli, one of Italy's leading contemporary art museums, housed in a Savoyard royal residence and UNESCO World Heritage site. Visiting the exhibition is also a perfect opportunity to explore the permanent collection and the monumental spaces of the castle, which overlooks the plains of Turin.