It is not yet at the Biennale. It has not been deliberated. And yet La Teca della Promessa – La Madonna Universale di Gilberto Di Benedetto would deserve it.
It would deserve it because it is not just an installation: it is a bridge between cultures, an invitation to peace, and a universal call to reflection. In front of an apparently empty glass case, the power of the work is immediately perceived. No statue, no icon, no religious symbol: just a space illuminated by a warm light, suspended between silence and expectation.
This is where Hypnos condenses a radical gesture: “La Madonna è la donna che porta nel grembo il progetto di Dio.” It does not belong to a single religion.
In Christianity it recalls Maria, in Islam it evokes Maryam, in Judaism it refers to the great biblical mothers like Sara. But Hypnos goes beyond: it transforms these figures into a universal archetype, the female womb as the first sanctuary of life, promise, and peace. The emptiness of the case is not absence, but openness. It is not negation, but inclusion.
The light that passes through it becomes hope. The silence becomes dialogue. Here, religious differences do not separate, but unite. Every visitor, Christian, Muslim, or simply a citizen of the world, can pause in front of the case and perceive the common origin of all revelations. In a time marked by conflicts and intolerance, this case stands as a planetary symbol of peace and dialogue.
Before churches, mosques, synagogues, the first sanctuary in history was a woman’s womb. From there life, hope, the future is born. Hypnos does not show the sacred: it makes it a shareable, universal, planetary experience. It is not observed. It is felt. It is breathed. It is carried with oneself.
This is why we say it, without hesitation: it deserves it. Now. Because the world needs this work, and the Biennale has the opportunity to place it at the center, transforming an exhibition space into a true point of encounter and global dialogue. The Teca della Promessa – La Madonna Universale is not just art. It is a bridge that the whole world is waiting for.
Alan D’Orlando is an entrepreneur and promoter of innovative cultural and financial projects. He works in the field of international finance, developing advanced tools such as hybrid tokens and investment structures that comply with global regulations.
In the arts sector, he manages and promotes collections, organizes exhibitions, and creates high-level cultural events, combining aesthetics, technology, and immersive experiences for the public.
His vision focuses on the balance between profit, social impact, and cultural development, with the aim of building sustainable, ethically responsible projects capable of generating real value for communities and investors.
