MILANO CENTRALE RAILWAY STATION STANDS AS A TESTAMENT TO TIME, HISTORY, AND ARCHITECTURAL EVOLUTION

La Nascita, Milano Centrale, Milan, Italy, 2024

Milano Centrale Railway Station stands as a testament to time, history, and architectural evolution. Now, invited by this iconic station, the renowned French artist JR has orchestrated a captivating metamorphosis. From April 10 to May 1, 2024, the station’s facade and Piazza Duca d’Aosta have become a rocky landscape, thanks to JR’s new installation: La Nascita.

Jr with his new time limited print edition – La Nascita, image courtesy Avant Arte

La Nascita is a monumental trompe-l’oeil that blurs the boundaries of reality. It weaves together the grandeur of the present station with its storied past. But what inspired this transformation?

In 1906, the opening of the Simplon Tunnel marked a new era of train travel in Milan. This engineering marvel, one of the longest train tunnels in history, required tons of rock to be excavated from the Alps. It was a symbol of progress, and King Victor Emmanuel III laid a foundation stone for the new central train station.

Now, JR superimposes the rugged, chiseled facade of the hollowed mountain onto the Milano Centrale Railway Station itself.

La Nascita, Milano Centrale, Milan, Italy, 2024

La Nascita delves into the historical strata of this architectural marvel. Over two decades of construction, the station underwent numerous design revisions, reflecting Italy’s evolving visions. JR takes it a step further, seamlessly weaving mineral formations into the existing blend of classical Roman, eclectic, rationalist, art nouveau, and art deco architecture. Just as he did with his installations La Ferita on Florence’s Palazzo Strozzi and Punto di Fuga on the Farnese Palace in Rome, JR creates a deep gash—a mysterious opening. Where does it lead? That remains unknown, yet it beckons viewers to contemplate the celebrated and sorrowful histories etched into the station’s facade, its halls, and even beneath its platforms.

As travelers wander amid scattered mineral formations on the Piazza, they’re invited to reflect on life’s journey—the indomitable human urge to explore, exchange, and migrate. La Nascita stands as a bridge between past and present, inviting us to traverse its rocky landscape and discover hidden narratives within the heart of Milano Centrale Railway Station.

courtesy Artribune