Amir Zainorin. Gravity of the Wall

A sequence of works reflecting on strength and vulnerability, memory and adaptation, immobility and movement. Set within the historic walls, towers and corridors of the Museo delle Mura, Malaysian artist Amir Zainorin’s solo exhibition unfolds as a dialogue between the fragility of contemporary gestures and the enduring weight of ancient architecture, inviting us to meditate on the instability of boundaries, not only as physical structures but as emotional, cultural and psychological conditions.

Born in Malaysia, Amir Zainorin studied and worked in the United States and has lived in Denmark since 2002. His work is internationally renowned in Asia, the United States and Europe. It ranges from installations, sculptures, performances, sound and participatory practices, and develops across geographies, cultures and lived experiences. Zainorin is the founder of Jambatan, a platform dedicated to intercultural dialogue, and the creator of Stateless Mind Pavilion, a project born out of the Stateless Mind Festival that challenges rigid concepts of nationality and belonging.

The exhibition, curated by Camilla Boemio, features site-specific interventions and installations specially designed for the various areas of the museum: Color Theory in the open walkway sheltered by battlements, The Weight of Lightness in one of the towers, and the worn boots of Boot-ed. Sound and participation are central to the exhibition. The installation Rhythm of Identity: A Cultural Laboratory of Percussion and Memory consists of Malaysian drums (kompang) and reused X-ray films: visitors are invited to activate the drums, generating evolving soundscapes that blur the distinctions between performers and audience.

The exhibition also incorporates the Stateless Mind Pavilion project: at the Museo delle Mura, the Pavilion serves as both a work of art and a platform, hosting conversations and collective meetings that transform the exhibition into a living, responsive space.

Photo: Color Theory