Textual Nets (2021)
This incredible need to believe…- Julia Kristeva
The corporealization of water and fluidity of the Mediterranean space. Inside the theme of the sea and the water element, I get carried away into an adventure to capture movement, liquidity, and transparency.
It is a fascinating journey of discovery of materials, within a myriad of hybrid forms of print, and an expansive visual language for the conveyance of concepts, ideas, and sensations.
In our current era, the Mediterranean serves as both a treacherous trap and a beacon of hope for those embarking on uncertain journeys. The repercussions of the environmental crisis are unevenly distributed, exacerbating global insecurity, social inequality, and environmental degradation.
Amidst the political fluidity and migratory currents of the Mediterranean, lies the quest for an essence that embodies its universal character and cultural interweaving. Caught in the grip of political and economic interests, individuals find themselves disempowered and vulnerable, struggling to assert their inherent human rights in the ever-changing landscape of multicultural societies. Urgency surrounds the need for a sustainable future that places human and ecological well-being at its core, embracing the idea of global human diversity and fluidity, while challenging traditional notions of identity.
Taking a naturalist and essentialist approach, this artistic endeavor delves into the vulnerability of ecosystems, both local and global, emphasizing the delicate balance between human life and the environment. It contemplates the protection of life itself and the sources from which it springs. Within the Mediterranean sea, we are all trapped, realizing the imperative need for a new economic paradigm. This study explores the intricate relationship between place and identity, within a space constantly in flux, where ideas find solace.
The artistic practice at hand embraces experimental and innovative printmaking techniques, combining them with traditional methods. Paper and ink acquire new dynamics, expressing the contemporary, controversial, and turbulent landscape of the Mediterranean. Otherness, fluidity, hybridity, and diversity become essential elements of a Mediterranean identity, requiring urgent preservation.
Through a visual exploration of the contemporary cultural tapestry, where immigration and "the other" cease to be seen as threats but rather as a call for compassion, the artist insists on the recognition of our shared humanity; on recognising oneself in the other, the foreign, the different. The project proposes the creation of a cohesive social fabric and a safety net, responding to the complexities of contemporary political and social events. It seeks sustainable approaches to caring for the Earth and its resources while emphasizing the significance of home and the environment.
Within a three-dimensional installation, incorporating sound and imagery, a familiar space emerges—an escape from reality. Fear is ritualistically exorcised, replaced by the assurance that care has the power to heal and soothe. Framed by love and admiration for nature, the artist asserts that the work of the hands signifies artistic expression and embodies empathic values. Symbolic processes, both manual and spiritual, intertwine, creating shelters and environments that serve as both traps and places of safety.
Against the backdrop of planetary fear of natural disasters, the project proposes care and hope as shields. Grounded in gender therapeutic processes, it maps the awe and fragility of life. It underscores the inherent need for the faith that predates religions, reflecting the divine within humanity. The therapeutic and ritualistic invocation of social ties transforms art into a vessel for transferring the need for hope.
Through an iterative process of reprinting, the project uncovers differences and convergences, expanding the space for frameworks of care and lifestyle management for both human and non-human organisms and environments.