Virginia Ryan: Even, Sometimes Exhibition at Spazio HASITA Milan
Opening from October 17 through December 18, 2026, the solo exhibition titled “Even, Sometimes” by artist Virginia Ryan brings two recent, specular projects to Spazio HASITA in Milan, as reported by itinerarinellarte.it. Curated by Matteo Pacini, the exhibition unites Even Goddesses Bleed Sometimes and Even Men Cry Sometimes to examine vulnerability, bodily taboos, and societal control across both female and male experiences.
Two Projects Interrogating Taboos Through Blood and Tears
The exhibition pairs two distinct bodies of work that investigate physiological experiences traditionally subjected to social censorship. Even Goddesses Bleed Sometimes centers on menstrual blood, exploring an organic reality historically associated with impurity and shame. The project originated from Ryan’s reading of the text The Goddess Who has Periods within K.R. Vaidyanathan (1982). This foundation expanded into a series of paintings, drawings, and textile works created across Italy and India.
The medium of embroidery plays a central role in this exploration. Ryan developed this technique during time spent in Trevi and later through an artistic residency at Tasara in Beypore, Kerala, where she collaborated with industrial embroidery groups in Calicut. This hands-on process connects with her earlier participation in the 2013 collaborative project Il sangue delle donne. Tracce di rosso sul panno bianco, conceived by Manuela De Leonardis, which involved international artists working directly on ancient linen cloths used to absorb menstrual flow.
In contrast, Even Men Cry Sometimes investigates male emotional vulnerability through the act of crying. The project draws initial inspiration from a 1495 painting by Benedetto Bonfigli titled Cristo Re dei Re, specifically noting the intensity of Christ’s tears. Conceived as an open-ended work in progress, this growing archive challenges rigid cultural models surrounding masculinity.
Milano Venue Marks Three Years of Artistic Exchange
The participatory nature of Ryan’s work aligns with the founding philosophy of Spazio HASITA. Located in Milan’s NoLo district at Via Venini 58, the venue opened in 2023 under the direction of founder Haluk Terzioglu following the restoration of a historic former shop that had remained shuttered for over a decade. Over its first three years, the space has cultivated an environment dedicated to dialogue across different artistic disciplines and generations, operating under the guiding principle that everything begins with people.
To mark its third anniversary, Spazio HASITA selected Ryan’s exhibition as the focal point for this milestone.
A Transnational Career Spanning Four Decades
Born in Victoria, Australia, in 1956 and holding Italian citizenship since 1982, Virginia Ryan maintains a nomadic artistic practice spanning Europe, Africa, the Middle East, South America, and Asia.