A helicopter upside down is the new site-specific installation by artist Paola Pivi, on display until June 2025 inside the deconsecrated Church of San Carlo in Cremona. Known for her works that subvert the perception of reality through striking visual and conceptual reversals, Pivi has chosen to exhibit an upside-down Agusta 109 helicopter, resting on the floor of the church’s central nave. The contrast between the aircraft’s monumentality and the sacredness of the architecture amplifies the visual impact of the piece, inviting the audience to reconsider their relationship with everyday objects when stripped of their original function.

Flipping a helicopter is not merely an aesthetic gesture but part of an artistic exploration Pivi has been pursuing for years. The work recalls her previous projects, such as Camion (1997), featuring a truck tipped onto its side; Senza titolo (aereo) (1999), a fighter jet overturned at the Venice Biennale; and the Westland Wessex displayed upside down in Salzburg in 2006. Additionally, How I Roll (2012) presented a Piper Seneca rotating forward, held up by two poles in a surreal display in the heart of New York.

The inverted helicopter in Cremona aligns with Pivi’s poetic approach to displacement and subversion, balancing irony and technical wonder. In a historically charged space like the Church of San Carlo, the aircraft transforms into a sculpture seemingly suspended between reality and imagination. The installation encourages reflection on the meaning of flight, the loss of its primary function, and the power of art to reshape both space and perception.

With A helicopter upside down, Paola Pivi continues her visionary artistic language, crafting an immersive experience that invites visitors to explore new perspectives and play with their perception of reality.