Paradise Lost

Paradise Lost

Paradise Lost, the new artwork by David Allen Burns and Austin Young / Fallen Fruit

The new site specific artwork “Paradise Lost” by artists David Allen Burns and Austin Young /  Fallen Fruit, is currently on view in Modena, Italy, until August 24, 2025. The exhibition continues  across two venues: the Palazzina dei Giardini Ducali and the Museo della Figurina .

EXHIBITION VENUE

Palazzina dei Giardini
Museo della Figurina

Curated by Francesca Fontana

La mostra di David Allen Burns e Austin Young / Fallen Fruit fino al 24 agosto alla Palazzina dei Giardini ducali e al Museo della Figurina

The 17th-century Palazzina dei Giardini Ducali hosts a lush paradise of flowers, plants, butterflies, birds, and animals of every type and species, created for the occasion to prompt reflection on the natural environment threatened by climate change. With the exhibition “Paradise Lost,”  artists David Allen Burns and Austin Young / Fallen Fruit , drawing inspiration from historical image collections preserved at the Museo della Figurina, create an immersive environment that fills drapery and walls, reconstructing a kind of “lost paradise.”

Their work, beginning with their public fruit tree maps created in Los Angeles in 2004, has always maintained a strong connection to urban spaces and the idea of “sharing the world with others.”

Just a few steps from the Botanical Garden, a site-specific installation by the Californian duo is on view. In an environment rich with images and evocative elements, there are also specimens of taxidermy animals on display, on loan from the Museum of Zoology and Comparative Anatomy, part of the Unimore Museum and Botanical Garden system. Wolves, foxes, monkeys, birds, iguanas, and toads — silent witnesses immersed in the artwork — seem to come back to life, reminding us of the fragility of existence and the balance of nature.

The exhibition also extends to the Museo della Figurina, housed in Palazzo Santa Margherita, where visitors can admire the original images that inspired the artists. These are refined drawings accompanied by short texts written in the simple, educational style of popular encyclopedias, typical of vintage sticker albums — from “The Symbols of Flowers”to “Alpine Peaks,” “The Strength of Insects” to “Major Crops,” and on to “Butterflies and Cherubs” and “Children and Shells.”

Exhibition Details:

  • Dates: April 11 – August 24, 2025
  • Venues:
    • Palazzina dei Giardini Ducali, Corso Cavour 2, Modena
    • Museo della Figurina, Corso Canalgrande 103, Modena
  • Opening Hours:
    • April – June: Wednesday to Friday: 11:00–13:00 / 16:00–19:00; Saturday, Sunday, and holidays: 11:00–19:00
    • July – August: Wednesday to Sunday and holidays: 15:00–19:00
  • Admission:
    • Combined ticket for both venues: €10 (full price), €7 (Modena residents), €5 (concessions)
    • Free entry on the first Sunday of each month and every Wednesday for Modena residents
  • Guided Tours: Every Saturday at 17:00 (reservation required, no additional cost)

For more information and reservations, please visit the Fondazione AGO Modena Fabbriche Culturali website.