The flashing neon work Yours mine by Real Madrid on the exterior wall of the Casa degli Artisti is reminiscent of a luminous advertisement promoting cocktails, a casino, or perhaps a pizza. A clear, unmistakable symbol. Yet, somehow the message here is different and the symbolism remains enigmatic. In the context of presence-marking flags, the neon work opens a speculative space and questions the concept of ownership. Mine or yours? And anyway, haven’t we long since arrived at a present in which images and logos convey ambivalent meanings and rarely have a clear story behind them? And while we look up and puzzle, the cat peeks out of the trash can and nimbly grabs the remains of the fish. Mine!

Since its founding in 2015, the collective Real Madrid has taken part in numerous exhibitions in Switzerland and abroad, such as Bloodsuckers at Swiss Institute New York (2022), Postoristoro, Centre Culturel Suisse Paris (2021); Quadriennale d’Arte, Palazzo delle Esposizioni, Rome (2020); I Think I Gave You, Salle Crosnier, Geneva (2020); United by AIDS, Migros Museum, Zurich (2019); Bacco Malato, Plymouth Rock (2019); Tender Rip, Auto Italia South East, London (2019) and Further Thoughts on Earthy Materials, GAK, Bremen (2018). Real Madrid is represented by Galleria Martina Simeti Milan, was resident at Istituto Svizzero in Rome in 2019/20, and received the Swiss Art Award in 2018.

About House of Switzerland (26.04.2022-12.06.2022)

From the 26th of April, Switzerland will present its innovative and creative side in Milan. In the heart of the historic Brera district, House of Switzerland will serve as a meeting hub between Italy and Switzerland. Until June, the pop-up event platform will be at Casa degli Artisti and in collaboration with several personalities in the fields of economy, science, politics and culture, it will offer a program of panel discussions, networking events, official meetings, workshops and much more around the themes of innovation, sustainability, art and culture.
For the Milan Design Week, House of Switzerland will be dedicated entirely to the world-famous Swiss design. House of Switzerland is a project of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, namely Presence Switzerland, the Embassy of Switzerland in Italy and the Consulate General of Switzerland in Milano together with the partners Switzerland Global Enterprise/Swiss Business Hub Italy, Switzerland Tourism and Pro Helvetia.