The abundance and scarcity of food, the work of Itamar Gilboa on display at Mic Faenza

Using cutting-edge neuroscientific technologies, Itamar Gilboa combines ceramic sculptures and video to investigate the physical, neurological and social dimensions of hunger. ‘World of Plenty’ invites viewers to confront the devastating reality of hunger. At the center of the installation are 260 ceramic sculptures representing brain cells, corresponding to the number of people who starve every 15 minutes, the time it takes to eat a quick meal, take a break between meetings or visit an exhibition.

Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), the artist analyzes his own brain activity under hunger stimuli, developing three-dimensional models that were 3D printed and transformed into ceramic sculptures. The works rest on handmade tiles that represent sections of the artist’s brain, evoking both biological vulnerability and the social collapse produced by inequality. A screen shows the real-time count of the victims of hunger – lives reduced to numbers – while the first part, the first chapter of his new film ‘World of Plenty’, which premiered, is characterized by the sound of falling drops marking the passage of time.

The installation merges personal and collective experience, moving the viewer from individual perception to shared awareness, making it impossible to ignore the hunger crisis.

“I started this project in 2020, when hunger was already one of the world’s most pressing challenges,” says Itamar Gilboa. “Today, the situation is even more critical. Around the world, communities face catastrophic food insecurity as the United Nations’ Zero Hunger goal of ending hunger by 2030 drifts further away. World of Plenty is a cry of alarm, a refusal to accept hunger as normal.”

The project was designed and created specifically for MIC Faenza. The ceramic sculptures were created in collaboration with Aida Bertozzi / Casa degli Artisti, ensuring the highest level of craftsmanship. At the opening of the exhibition, Gilboa will present a live performance in dialogue with Part One, the first chapter of his new film, premiered for the occasion.