“Extinction” by Max Papeschi

A Reflection installation at Malpensa Airport

In Terminal 1 of Milan Malpensa Airport, an extraordinary army has emerged at the “Magic Threshold”. This is “Extinction”, the latest project by the artist Max Papeschi, orchestrated by Stefania Morici with the collaboration of Flavia Vago, AIIO Michele Ronchetti and Fabrizio Campanelli.

This project is divided into three chapters, with the first of them, “Extinction. Chapter one”, which presents 54 terracotta sculptures and a video manipulated by artificial intelligence, parodically narrating the theme of war and cultural impoverishment.

The installation, conceived as an archaeological find brought to light by an alien civilization, arrives in an emblematic place such as the airport, a space devoid of identity but full of stories and relationships, a crossroads between past, present and future. In an era marked by great conflicts, Max Papessi’s message on the extinction of the human race is even more powerful, inviting reflection.

Curator Stefania Morici emphasizes the importance of launching this invitation from a place like Milan Malpensa Airport, a modern frontier that dissolves the boundaries between places, identities and stories, thus making the message universal and accessible. He wants “The Magic Door” to be crossed in an active way, stimulating reflection on the paradoxes and errors of contemporary society.

This project, previewed at the Stelline Foundation, opens the debate on the causes of possible human extinction with the typical irony of Papeschi. The installation “Zwergen Dämmerung”, the twilight of the dwarfs, represents a freeze-frame of a historical moment characterized by the threat of war and cultural impoverishment. The army of statues, featuring the bodies of terracotta warriors from Xi’an and the heads of mundane garden gnomes, highlights the perpetual struggle and conflict within human civilization.

Stefania Morici emphasizes the intent to spread the culture of peace and respect for human rights through art, addressing the real risks that threaten humanity and issuing a warning about our future.

Max Papeschi, a well-known director and author before dedicating himself to contemporary art, carries out an ambitious and powerful project, supported by MI HUB AGENCY, a new creative laboratory that promotes technological innovation and the contamination of different forms of creativity.

In conclusion, Max Papeschi’s “Extinction” represents not only an artistic installation, but an invitation to deep reflection on the human condition and the need for a real change of direction.

INFO/PHOTO COURTESY: Max Papeschi

Chiara Mattavelli