Il senso della neve

With Il senso della neve (“The Meaning of Snow”), MUDEC – Museo delle Culture opens a new chapter in its program dedicated to the Cultural Olympiad of Milano–Cortina 2026. Following the installation by Chiharu Shiota, the focus shifts to snow as a natural, symbolic, artistic, and anthropological phenomenon.

Curated by Sara Rizzo and Alessandro Oldani, the exhibition presents more than 150 works, including ethnographic artifacts, scientific materials, paintings, photographs, videos, and contemporary installations. The itinerary explores the geometry of snow crystals, European and Japanese artistic imagery, and the effects of climate change and mountain overtourism.

A significant section is devoted to Arctic peoples and those of Tierra del Fuego: Inuit, Sámi, Chukchi, Selk’nam, and Yaghan, examining their systems of adaptation and spiritual practices connected to shamanism. Among the exceptional loans from museums in the MIPAM network are a Sámi shamanic drum and a rare Selk’nam hunter’s kit.

The exhibition is organized into three thematic sections: snow and science, featuring studies of crystal structures and reflections on the Anthropocene; snow in world cultures, exploring myths and environmental adaptation; and snow and ice in art, from Nordic landscapes and ukiyo-e prints to contemporary experimentation.

The project extends beyond the exhibition galleries through editorial initiatives and urban interventions, transforming snow into a shared narrative that intertwines science, memory, and collective imagination.