Daniel González. Imaginary Country

The no-profit association Made in Lambrate is pleased to present “Imaginary Country”, site-specific ephemeral architecture installation by Argentina-born and New York-based artist Daniel González. “Imaginary Country” is a semantic ephemeral architecture made with “pasacalles”, a traditional communication system from Argentina, where private messages are taken to public sphere with hand painted words on street banners.
On social networks, the presence of a hashtag seals the existence of its content, whether real or not. Just a # is enough to turn each word into a #readymade #reality. In Lambrate, Milan, the exchange between social networks and reality tightens. "Imaginary Country" by Daniel González takes this virtual labelling practice into the physical world, in the streets and public spaces of Lambrate. Suddenly a square, the sea and a skyscraper become "certified" and acquire shared meanings. Hand painted words on street banners will be hanging across Ventura, Flaminio, Conte Rosso, Oslavia, delle Rimembranze streets. Words express a potential thought and, at the same time, they are the abstract of a poetical concept.
In González's installation, words are defining their physical context, where the artist envisions a poetic, subtle and subconscious imaginary framework. "Imaginary Country" invites passers-by to wish into existence anything absent from their neighbourhood by using one's own imagination, i.e. the oldest form of virtual reality.
In an ongoing dialogue with the urban context of Lambrate which started with "Homeless Rocket with Chandeliers" in 2007, followed by several collaborations during Milan Design Week, González is once again inspired by the common imaginary associated with the post-industrial and creative neighbourhood.
The site-specific installation “Imaginary Country” will be on view for three months and will be re- installed later in spring 2018 as part of a cultural project developed by the association Made in Lambrate. 

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