Abysses, 2018, performance, Palermo. Ultramarine blue linen fabric, golden thread, 300 x 300 cm. Prints on Canson Baryta, 70 x 100 cm
18.09.2021 - 30.01.2022
Abisses was born from a collective action that involved the community of migrants hosted in various reception centres in the city of Palermo, several students of the Fine Arts Academy, and some citizens.
The project, investigating the concept of abyss and immense depth as a metaphor for the impenetrability of human destiny, leads us to a reflection on the dramatic issue of migrants through a creative choral process on a single piece of ultramarine blue fabric. In the course of the performative action the artist invited each participant to embroider a star with a precious golden thread, whose shape recalls the one painted by Giotto in the heavenly vault of the Scrovegni Chapel in Padua (IT) at the beginning of the 14th century.
This project was made in collaboration with Astalli Center, curated by Spazio Y, Border Crossing, Manifesta 12 collateral events, Palermo.
THE PERFORMATIVE GESTURE OF UPSIDE-DOWN
At the end of the performance the fabric becomes the subject of a symbolic action: raised towards the sky, the blue of the abyss becomes sky itself, full of new meanings in a delicate balance between space and time.
This final collective artwork was raised by the artist and all the participants in several squares of the city of Palermo, becoming a starry sky, supported by human columns.
Abysses, 2018, performance, Palermo. Ultramarine blue linen fabric, golden thread, 300 x 300 cm. Prints on Canson Baryta, 70 x 100 cm
Abysses, 2018, performance, Palermo. Ultramarine blue linen fabric, golden thread, 300 x 300 cm. Prints on Canson Baryta, 70 x 100 cm
EMBROIDERY AS A PROJECTION OF DESIRES
Embroidery as an opportunity to share and collect memories related to the sea: a practice that becomes a projection of desires and memories to compose constellations made of today’s dreams.
Considering the etymology of the word “desire”, from the Latin de (negative meaning) plus sidus (star), desire literally means “lack of stars” of those good omens, by extension a feeling of a lack and consequently a passionate research. This work therefore wants to transform the fear of the unknown into a creative act of individual and collective hope.
Text from Be a Poem, catalogue of Virginia Zanetti’s solo exhibition, curated by Matteo Innocenti, Palazzo D’Accursio, Bologna, 07.05 - 06.06.2021.
