Settanta metri di rete rossa disposti attorno a settantanove pali di abete a formare un quadrato

Settanta metri di rete rossa disposti attorno a settantanove pali di abete a formare un quadrato, 2026, fir poles and synthetic net, 2.1 × 3.5 × 3.5 m

Elia Varini’s ephemeral artwork, conceived for the LongLake Festival 2026 as part of Arte Urbana Lugano (AUL), takes the form of a life-size, walk-through parallelepiped (3.5 × 3.5 meters): a red space where the public can enter and linger. The structure consists of seventy meters of red netting arranged around seventy-nine fir poles, which define a square open at the top and accessible through a side opening.
Varini’s artistic practice revolves around the construction of minimalist, modular spatial structures that define traversable perimeters rather than enclosed volumes. Through interventions that interrelate body, space, light, and color, his work explores an introspective dimension generated by formal minimalism. Rigorous geometric structures are paired with raw and imperfect materials, which introduce a sensory and tactile dimension.
From this perspective, space becomes a device that separates without isolating and filters the outside world, transforming our perception of it. The installation created for the festival is fully in line with this exploration: the semi-transparent red net delineates a perimeter without ever completely enclosing it, allowing light, the landscape, and the movements of the park to filter through.
The installation created for the festival is fully in line with this exploration: the semi-transparent red net defines a perimeter without ever completely enclosing it, allowing light, the landscape, and the movements within the park to filter through.
Within the dynamic context of the festival, the work serves as a small, temporary refuge: a contemplative space that invites the public to slow down, pause, and step back for a moment from the flow of activities. The opening faces the less visible side of the park, so that access is revealed gradually, transforming the entrance into a subtle discovery.