Set-Up: Q+A with Andrew Berardini and Lauren Mackler

Lauren Mackler and Andrew Berardini, both L.A.-based, had just curated an exhibition of L.A. artists in Turin's legendary reliquary, the Chapel of the Holy Shroud, during the 2012 Artissima art fair when they began planning "Set Pieces," the group exhibition at Cardi Black Box gallery in Milan now through April 15. Mackler, who runs the shape-shifting east L.A. project space Public Fiction, and Berardini, a writer who often folds fantasies into his art criticism, had thus twice been asked to curate exhibitions in Italy. But neither is interested in creating conventional thematic group shows, nor are they that interested in "bringing L.A. to Italy." So they tried to do something more inventive. The Turin show involved placing mirrors on the floor of the church, then arranging sculptures and paintings above the reflection of the church's fabulous vaulted ceiling.
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