17 - 18 - 19.04.2026
Before the existence of photography a lot of etches have been made of the Etna during the uprising of the first encyclopedia’s. What is striking, is that many of those are not realistic but a rather naive representation of the volcano. These scientists (or artists) who drew them, often travelled far (the Netherlands, England, Germany…) to create an image to explain this amazing natural phenomenon and its gorgeous eruptions while many weren’t present at the moment of an eruption and had to build it up by their imagination and through stories.
Etna Art & Research Center invited 22 contemporary artists to create an etch inspired by these images and in dialogue with their own artistic practices.
On the Etna there are 24 rifugi always accessible for any kind of passerby: hikers, biker tourists, shepherds… ‘Rifugio 25’ becomes a shelter for these newly created artworks and any kind of visitor, too.
Participating artists: Alberto Mazzara, Anna Rubbens, Anna Van der Ploeg, Birde Vanheerswynghels, Daniel Fonatti, Elie Laucher, Elisa Raciti, Gustave Demoen, Krista De Mulder, Liesbeth Van Heuverswijn, Malgorzata Maria Olchowska, Marnix Everaert, Maya Strobbe, Nathan De Corte, Nerina Triolo, Nikolaas Demoen, Rachele Turrisi, Sam Zanardo, Shervin/e Sheikh Rezaei, Simon Verougstraete, Tom De Clippel, Vladimir Ivaneanu.
Curated by Etna Art Research Center in collaboration with VROOM
Graphic design by Elisa Raciti
Publication published by Balloon Project
Scenography Janes Zeghers
Arancini workshop Ninokooks
Many etches printed in Print Studio 868
With the support of Anna Rubbens & Vladimir Ivaneanu
The exhibition and publication were made possible with the support of the culture department of Anderlecht / Cultuur 1070 Anderlecht.