THE CLOAK AND THE VISION
Contemporary Art Tour – The Cloak of Saint Ubaldo – Gubbio
Among the works on display are two pairs of works by Francesco Biondo from the *Noble Creatures* and *Prophecies* series.
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From February 28th to March 8th, the city of Gubbio hosts "The Cloak of Saint Ubaldo", a new event in the Contemporary Art Grand Tour that intertwines contemporary art, medieval memory, and constitutional commitment on the occasion of International Women's Day.
In the spaces of the Arconi of Palazzo dei Consoli and the Sala Taverna dei Capitani, the symbol of the cloak—traditionally a sign of protection and belonging—becomes a metaphor for the Italian Constitution and, in particular, Article 3, the foundation of equal social dignity and substantive equality. The event proposes a dialogue between past and present: if in the Middle Ages, the female figure was celebrated as a light and spiritual ideal, today art is called upon to translate that vision into concrete rights, autonomy, solidarity, and leadership.
The program opens on February 28th with the official inauguration and presentation of the Contemporary Art Grand Tour artists, followed by medieval dance performances and themed video contributions. The following days will include meetings with the artists, demonstrations open to the public, guided tours of the historic city, and opportunities for cultural exploration.
March 7th is particularly significant, with a documentary film tribute to Leoncillo Leonardi, one of the greatest sculptors of the 20th century in Italy, and a conference dedicated to the dialogue between medieval genius and contemporary architectural innovation.
March 8th, the final day, will feature a poetry reading and thematic events dedicated to Autonomy, Solidarity, Resilience, Leadership, and Sharing, as well as the presentation of new works and exclusive meetings with the artists.
“The Cloak of Saint Ubaldo” is not just an exhibition, but a cultural project - conceived and curated by Phoebus - that transforms celebration into collective responsibility, reaffirming through art the universal value of equality and dignity.
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Francesco Biondo - Noble Creatures /Prophecies
Among the works on display, two pairs of works by Francesco Biondo, from the *Noble Creatures* and *Prophecies* series, interact like chapters in a single exploration: the essential figure becomes sign, symbol, presence.
In Noble Creatures, painting is pure energy. Silhouettes of claws and bodies emerge from incandescent fields of color: red, yellow, and black. The brushstrokes are rapid, scratched, permeated by a vital tension that unites nobility and ferocity, fragility and power. The creatures do not ask to be recognized, but felt. They are archaic presences, suspended between instinct and dignity.
In Profezie, the scene becomes more essential and symbolic. A stylized, luminous figure stands out against backgrounds dominated by red and blue, punctuated by flashes of gold and white. Shaped copper inserts interrupt the painted surface, introducing the concrete weight of the material. Each work appears as a moment of transition: a restrained gesture, an imminent event.
If Profezie is expectation and vision, Noblèsse Creàture is incarnation and metamorphosis.
In this exhibition context, the four works engage with the theme of the cloak as a symbolic space of protection and responsibility: the suspended figures of Profezie evoke the alert consciousness that questions the present, while the creatures of Noblèsse Creàture embody the vital and resilient force that makes equality concrete, transforming the archetype into an ethical gesture and vision into shared dignity.
In both series, painting is the place where the image becomes revelation.