Helidon Xhixha and Giacomo “Jack” Braglia present the

Helidon Xhixha and Giacomo “Jack” Braglia
present the artwork

The Twin Bottles: Message in a Bottle
An environmental message

Principality of Monaco, Yacht Club de Monaco Marina

The Twin Bottles: Message in a Bottle

Principality of Monaco, March 10, 2020 – The Twin Bottles: Message in a Bottle, two large steel sculptures with the heart of an environmentalist, were presented today.
The project The Twin Bottles: Message in a Bottle – sponsored by Fondazione Gabriele e Anna Braglia – is a result of the encounter between the international sculptor Helidon Xhixha and the young Swiss photographer Giacomo “Jack” Braglia. United by the desire to launch an important message condemning the pollution of the seas due to the discarded plastic bottles, to give shape to their vision, the two artists decided to blend their artistic techniques – shaping steel and 3D photography – in designing a big environmental installation which produces, on a larger scale, two crushed bottles which float on the water’s surface and seem like discarded waste; one modeled in stainless steel by the sculptor Helidon Xhixha and then mirror polished, the other draped with photographic images of plastic waste taken by the photographer Giacomo “Jack” Braglia.
The Twin Bottles: Message in a Bottle, a site-specific environmental installation specially designed to remain in water, but, at the same time, to tour due to its ability to adapt continuously to the environment in which it is hosted, in a reciprocal switch which on each occasion generates a new work of art, and renews its symbolic meaning. After its presentation in Venice on 20^th of July 2019, in Canal Grande in the water area in front of Ca’ Vendramin Calergi, where the artwork was on display until 1^st of September 2019, thanks to its message which is currently one of the most serious global challenges, and to the wide national and international media coverage it received, the installation The Twin Bottles: Message in a Bottle has become a symbol of the fight against plastic waste polluting the seas. Hosted in the prestigious garden of the Triennale Milano from 16^th of October to 15^th of December 2019, on the occasion of the presentation of the results of the 5^th Osservatorio nazionale sullo stile di vita sostenibile (national Observatory on sustainable lifestyles) conducted by LifeGate, the work of art now docks in the port of Monaco, in the Mediterranean sea. Positioned in the water area of the Yacht Club de Monaco, the environmental installation of Helidon Xhixha and Giacomo “Jack” Braglia will be the picture frame during the Monaco Ocean Week (from 22nd to 27^th March), sponsored by the Principality of Monaco; a week dedicated to the conservation of the marine ecosystem and to the sustainable development of the “blue” economy. The sculpture of Helidon Xhixha and the photographs of Giacomo “Jack” Braglia come together in an ambitious and provocative project which condemns the current situation of environmental emergency, and which is a witness of the present world we live in. A task that today more than ever belongs to art, called to again exercise its social function.

A word from UBS Monaco
The artwork "Twin Bottles" draws attention to the very dramatic problem of the pollution of the sea caused by plastic waste. A theme that UBS very much supports through Global Sustainable Actions and Investment solutions. UBS is committed to move society towards a more positive future through different corporate actions, such as #TOGETHERBAND. To know more on UBS in society: here

Biographies

Helidon XHIXHA was born in Durrës (Albania) in 1970, from a family of artists. After attending the Academy of Fine Arts in Tirana, he moved to Italy to continue his studies at the Academy of Fine Arts of Brera (Milan), where he graduated in 1999. The previous year, thanks to a scholarship, he attends Kingston University in London, where he refines his engraving, sculpture and photography techniques and experiments with the use of new materials including stainless steel, which will then become the privileged material around which his artistic research will revolve. Xhixha’s vision and innovative technique translate into a monumental public art that redefines the relationship between sculpture and the surrounding environment, redefining the very boundaries of contemporary sculpture. Among the most important exhibitions and projects, his participation in 2015 in the 56th Venice Biennale with Iceberg: a floating sculpture in stainless steel that sways on the waters of the Grand Canal to talk about the theme of global warming and its impact on the city of Venice, catalyzing the attention of the public and the international press. In October of the same year, the Everlasting project at Milan Malpensa airport, a contemporary response to Leonardo Da Vinci’s Last Supper. In 2016, the solo exhibition Shining Rock in the historic city of Pietrasanta (LU) and participation in the first edition of the Design Biennale in London, where the artist is awarded with the Public Medal for the best installation, set-up at Somerset House. In 2017 In Ordine Sparso, a large monumental exhibition held inside the Boboli Gardens and the Uffizi Galleries in Florence by invitation of the director Eike Schmidt, and the exhibition project VolareArte at the Galileo Galilei airport in Pisa. In 2019 two major open-air exhibitions: Lugano: Reflections of Light, curated by Eike Schmidt, a path of twenty monumental sculptures spread between the lakefront and the city center of Lugano, and STEEL AND STONE. The Energy of Matter, curated by Beatrice Audrito, a dialogue between marble and steel on the seafront of Forte dei Marmi. In July of the same year, The Twin Bottles: Message in a Bottle, a project created together with the photographer Giacomo “Jack” Braglia and presented in Venice, in the Grand Canal, in front of Ca’ Vendramin Calergi where two large steel bottles floated to launch a message of protest against the pollution of the seas due to plastic. The installation was subsequently hosted in the prestigious garden of the Triennale Milano from October to December 2019. The works of Helidon Xhixha are present in numerous public and private collections, both in Italy and abroad.

Giacomo “Jack” Braglia is a young Swiss artist and photographer (born in Lugano in 1996) who lives in London. He has collaborated with various Swiss photographers and a photographer from the National Geographic. Despite his young age, Jack has already held solo exhibitions in London, Venice and Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy with the Contini Art Gallery. Jack has also participated in ArtRooms in London. Through his passion for images, photography and art Jack has found a new way of using the camera and of creating conversations between the outside world and his inner emotions. He creates 3-D photos using various materials and shapes such as plaster, aluminium, iron and steel to build different shapes inspired by the Hellenic period and more recently, shields and spheres. Through his 3-D photographs Jack sends a very strong message and creates powerful feelings in each person who observes his works. In 2019, Jack presented his works #MayYouLiveToHelpWalkers, in the 58th Venice Biennale in the Syrian Arab Republic Pavilion (11 May - 24 November), from which, thanks to his numerous travels and volunteering experience in Africa, he takes inspiration to analyze the contrasts of our time, and in particular, the great problem of emigration that afflicts many areas of the world, and specifically, Africa, the Middle East and Syria due to the recent long war. The “#” is present as a caption in all of Jack’s previous works, which as Millennial refers to technologies as everyday use and not as an addiction. #MayYouLiveToHelpWalkers is an imaginary cry to make the public understand the need to find help at their homes for millions of “Walkers” who leave their countries of origin, walking towards places where they can seek aid for a better present and brighter future. In 2019, Jack and the sculptor Helidon Xhixha launched an important environmental message of condemnation with two large steel sculptures depicting two floating bottles, The Twin Bottles: Message in a Bottle, first exhibited in Venice, Italy, Canal Grande, and subsequently, in the Garden of the Triennale Milano, to raise awareness on the improper use of plastic, on the pollution of the seas globally due to the countless number of plastic bottles discarded each day by unthinking consumers and unscrupulous waste managers. Jack’s steel bottle, draped with his photographic images which portray the phenomena of pollution, leaves a strong footprint with the intent of raising the awareness of the public on a more conscious and limited use of plastic. In November 2019, Giacomo “Jack” Braglia receives the Visvamitra International Awards 2019, Award of Excellence in Arts, in Syracuse, Sicily.
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