TINA B – The Prague Contemporary Art Festival presents Stefano Cagol: Un-Secret Signals :: October 9-13, 2008 :: Janovského 23, Prague 7, Czech Republic.

Mass communication and Babilonia. Fragmented communication and freedom of expression. Secrecy and disclosure. Locked and open. Black and white. Morse Code and Light. Hallucinatory flashes of light from the top of the Petrin Tower in Prague illuminate and disorient the nocturnal cityscape of this historical and fascinating place. Sound sequences play intermittently night and day, concurrently accompanying light signals that simultaneously spell out cryptic messages in Morse Code.

In “Music for Prague 1968,” the famous Czech composer Karel Husa played his oboe while following the Morse Code rhythm as trombones wailed like sirens. Likewise, Stefano Cagol exploits the secretive Morse Code communication system to remember the Spring of Prague anniversary, evoking miscommunication, classified secrecy, displacement and disturbance.

Sound signals will pervade the city during the day, while at night they will be re-invigorated by the inclusion of pulsating light that renders them more evident and visible but nonetheless incomprehensible and mysterious. Stefano Cagol’s work nurtures and questions the ambiguity inherent in and the limitations of contemporary communication. He challenges the use of language in mass media and places his interventions between freedom of expression and mass manipulation. This consideration of control issues and mass communication is all the more pertinent for the city of Prague during its 40th anniversary of the Spring of Prague, an event that has become a strong symbol of liberty and free thought, as well as of the ill-fated imposition of political and military might. It has taken on a profound new meaning in light of the recent events currently taking place in Georgia.

Stefano Cagol (Italy) has exhibited internationally in many solo and group shows. Most recently his work was included in Eurasia, MART Museum, Rovereto and Manifesta 7, parallel event, Trento. He also participated to The Peekskill Project 2008 at HVCCA Hudson Valley Center for Contemporary Art, New York (2008). Upcoming projects include: Abschiedsfest at MARTa Herford (Germany) and artist residency with solo show at the Hoet Bekaert Gallery, Ghent (Belgium), in April 2009.