This work takes inspiration from objects of devotion whose purposes are to bring good health. The Catholic ex-votos and reliquaries combine the obsession with intricate craft with an almost fetishistic representation of the body. The objects are decorative rather than functional, painstakingly crafted and rich in details, yet the prayer they represent is a humble one. In a way, this research has been a coming-of-age story for me, as I’m accepting adulthood and witnessing the fragility of my own body and that of all the loved bodies around me. The anatomical parts I have chosen to highlight are based on illnesses of people who are close to me, some cured and some waiting to be cured.
Lucia Pompetti is a New York based Italian American artist whose ceramic work is inspired by historical, theological, and familial study. Her sculptures reference historic vessels, traditional Catholic articles of worship, and allusions to folklore from her own family. She is influenced by her Italian heritage and uses both historical and contemporary themes in her artwork. Though she first studied ceramics at Bennington College, where she graduated in 2019, she grew up in a creative environment where both her mother and grandmother were prolific multimedia artists.After a brief stint as a fashion designer in Barcelona, she pursued a residency at Ceramica Suro in Mexico. She had her first solo show ‘Icons Wear Clay’ in 2021 at Garage gpf. in Guadalajara, Mexico. She has since completed residencies at The Watershed in Maine and at C.R.E.T.A. Rome.