On the occasion of the 20th Week of the Italian Language in the World, the Italian Cultural Institute in Stockholm is glad to present Spicule, a project realized by the Italian artist Elena Mazzi.
Spicule reflects on the essential link between human beings and the sea. This relationship is often subtended and sometimes misunderstood. These four sculptures are inspired by particular marine animals, the sponges, which are very common in the seas all over the world and yet little known. Their skeleton is made of limestone or siliceous structures called spicules. Elena Mazzi has always been fascinated by sponges’ peculiar shapes, complexity and ecological role in the coastal environment. She decided to use the same material sponges are made of, to create sculptures that she places back under the sea. This gives the possibility to marine organisms, local swimmers and bathers to interact with them. This project wants to emphasize the relationship between sponges and their environment. The result is an artistic work and also a medium for educational and scientific activities.
The project will be presented in a digital format. The video is going to be published on Friday, October 30th on the Institute’s Facebook and Instagram pages and on YouTube.
Elena Mazzi was born in 1984 in Reggio Emilia (Italy). She received her BFA in 2007 in History of Art from Siena University, and her MFA in 2011 in Visual Art from IUAV, Venice University. She was selected for an exchange program at Royal Academy of Art (Konsthogskolan) of Stockholm. Her poetics deals with the relationship between man and the environment he lives in and has to reckon with in everyday life. Mostly following an anthropological approach, this analysis investigates and documents an identity both personal and collective, relating to a specific territory, and giving rise to different forms of exchange and transformation. Her works have been displayed in many solo and collective exhibitions, among others: Whitechapel gallery in London, GAMeC in Bergamo, MAMbo in Bologna, AlbumArte in Rome, Sonje Art Center in Seoul, Palazzo Fortuny in Venice, Golinelli Foundation in Bologna, Pecci contemporary art center in Prato, 16° Rome Quadriennal, GAM Turin, 14° Istanbul Biennale, 17° BJCEM Mediterranean Biennale, Fittja Pavilion at the 14° Architecture Venice Biennale, COP17 in Durban, Italian Institute of Culture in New York, Brussels and Stockholm, Bevilacqua La Masa Foundation. She attended different residency programs and workshops such as ZK/U (DE), HIAP (FI), GuilmiArtProject (IT), Via Farini (IT), Foundation Botin (SP), Bevilacqua La Masa (IT), Future Farmers A.I.R. (USA), Fondazione Spinola Banna (IT), Botkyrka Konsthall AIR (SE). She is the winner, among others, of XVII Ermanno Casoli Prize, STEP Beyond, OnBoard grant, Thalie Art Foundation grant, VISIO Young Talent Acquisition prize, Eneganart prize, Illy grant for Unidee, Pistoletto Foundation, ntcm e l’arte, m-cult media and technology program, Special mention for Arte Patrimonio e diritti umani, Antworks award, Sandretto Re Rebaudengo prize, Lerici Foundation grant and Movin’up Italian prize for young Italian artists abroad.