Hou Hanru, Anne Palopoli
Hou Hanru (1963) and Anne Palopoli (1974), respectively artistic director and assistant curator of MAXXI – Museo Nazionale delle Arti del XXI secolo, curated the first site-specific exhibition of the contemporary artist duo Allora & Calzadilla in Rome. Jennifer Allora and Guillermo Calzadilla have been collaborating since 1995. Their artistic production ranges from sculpture and performance to architecture and social or political intervention, reflecting on the complex overlap between global politics and personal identity. Their initiatives often take place outside the institutional art context, pointing out uncomfortable conditions or problems with the aim of provoking an open discussion that leads to a wider audience. More significantly, their conceptual work, although critical, is underlined by poetry and playfulness that make the experience completely emotional.