11/06/2026
From today, the 𝐞𝐱𝐡𝐢𝐛𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 ‘ODYSSEUS and the Drowned and the Saved’ by 𝐄𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐚 𝐏𝐞𝐬𝐚𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐞 (KNIR Artist in Residence, Pesapane) is on display at the National Museum of Antiquities (Rijksmuseum van Oudheden) in Leiden!
The multidisciplinary art project ODYSSEUS, which Elisa Pesapane worked on during her residency at KNIR, interweaves contemporary drawing, Etruscan heritage, and literature into a large-scale installation. In this exhibition and homonymous book (a mythological fairy tale), Elisa tells the story of her own Odysseus: a young boy who sets sail with his little brother and a peculiar crew in search of lost humanity. During their journey, they encounter various monsters, such as two little cyclopes, a bloodthirsty mermaid, a jealous centaur, and a seductive chimera. Their journey and experiences are shaped by water—from the deep blue sea that Odysseus sails with his companions, to the glistening cerulean water of a campsite swimming pool in the heart of Italy. It is there that they finally track down lost humanity, happily frolicking in the water during lessons in drowning by lifeguard Charun.
Central to this project are the curiosity of the traveller, the enrichment a stranger can bring, and Etruscan culture, in which seafaring and mythology played an important role. All of this is reflected in the worldview of the artist herself, who grew up between Dutch and Italian cultures. ‘Odysseus and the Drowned and the Saved’ is a personal story that tackles contemporary themes such as knowledge, power, identity, and migration, but it is also a witty and ironic tale about universal subjects such as travel, discovery, and coming home.
The ‘tourist guide ’in the book offers a route through Etruria and other sources of inspiration from past and present: from Jimi Hendrix and Hello Kitty to classical antiquity.
ℹ The exhibition is on display at the National Museum of Antiquities (RMO) in Leiden from 11 June to 1 November 2026, as part of the museum event Galleria. https://www.rmo.nl/tentoonstellingen/tijdelijke-tentoonstellingen/galleria-odysseus-en-de-verdronkenen-en-geredden/
📚 The book is available at the museum shop and the Uitgeverij Zoetzuur webshop. https://uitgeverijzoetzuur.nl/odysseus/
