Subterranean Frequencies
A collective project at Studio Pisani
The Subterranean, as a living archive of our biological and cultural history, is what we aim to investigate in this project. Hidden but essential, the subterranean is an invisible ecosystem that doesn't end at the surface we walk on, but possesses a body. A body that, even if invisible, can be "listened to," as science teaches us, investigating its deepest layers through the study of different types of traces: sound, visual, biological. The genesis of the works on display follows this process. The works are born from existing traces and matrices: sounds, fossil memories, and other clues from the underground. This collective project, hosted in its first event at the historic Studio Pisani, invites the public to explore an evolving artistic ecosystem that will grow over time during the subsequent phases of the project. In this context, the works do not exist in isolation but are arranged in an interplay of relationships, just like the elements of a natural ecosystem.
Works:
Sara Bernabucci opens the exhibition with 'Ecotones.' In nature, an ecotone is a transition zone that lies at the edge of a habitat, a sort of skin that wraps a natural mass: it protects, selects, attracts, and diffuses. The sculptures on display appear as envelopes or rather, placentas that generate a natural form within them. Sara invites us to overturn the traditional idea of "Mother Nature" by suggesting that it's us, with our bodies, who must give birth to that memory. A sense of belonging to the natural world that has been lost.
Vanshika Agrawal with 'Flames with Wings' uses the tradition of collecting soot from oil lamps, still practiced in some regions of Asia, to explore the extraction of pigments through sedimentation. On the plaster forms, the deposits of a burning flame settle as carbon, creating a layered surface. These marks evoke the metamorphosis of nature, emphasizing a semi-controlled application of soot and the beauty of fortuity in the creative process. The plaster forms arranged together create a structure similar to bracket fungus in the forests, suggesting how Mother Nature recycles and reforms everything that comes into contact with the ecosystem.
Emanuela Camacci with 'Sap' creates a dialogue between the rigidity of rocks and the fluidity of marble, giving shape to sculptures that express how monumental yet small formations can allow to marble that assumes organic and viscous shapes. This process symbolizes the tension between the solidity of matter and the vital energy it embodies, evoking a continuous change through natural openings. Sap also tells the layered history of Rome, where different geological layers incorporate fragments of marble, preserving a memory of the ancient city and blending into a single underground landscape, a single organism.
Alexandra Fongaro with 'The Angels' Trumpets Announce the Muse' creates a work that celebrates the connection between tradition and innovation, reflecting on the meaning of the artist’s figure and identity. The sculpture represents a symbol of rebirth and return, evoking the past while looking towards the future. Inspired by Studio Pisani, the work connects to a living tradition represented in a pose reminiscent of the sculpture of Sara Bernabucci's grandfather. This connection with the past manifests the continuity and harmony that permeates Alexandra's work. Two meters high, the figure lies stretched out, no longer a warning of danger but a symbol of protection and strength. The "angels' trumpets," once used to ward off unwanted attention, transform into instruments of freedom, cementing the connection between the figure and the ground that supports it.
Davide Sebastian with his sound sculpture 'Echo of Rebirth' transforms an ancient anti-aircraft trumpet into a symbol of rebirth and transformation. Through the use of a digital speaker, the sound of a drop of water can be noted, symbolizing regeneration and mineral stratification. This fusion of historical memory and contemporary technology invites the viewer to reflect on the hidden stories of objects and their potential for transformation. The sound, no longer an alarm of danger, becomes an echo of time and nature, evoking a new perception. The sculpture stands as a bridge between the past and the present, revealing the importance of listening to what usually remains invisible but essential. A work that invites the exploration of the depths of sound and matter, offering a new and profound sensory experience.
