Who are we anyway?
Galleria Ramo proudly presents Who are we anyway?, an exhibition that navigates the intricate intersections of memory, identity, history, and materiality through the evocative works of Ilaria Cuccagna and Chiara Smedile. Through their distinct yet complementary practices, the artists explore the fluid processes by which history and identity are constructed, urging viewers to interrogate the layered narratives that shape both personal and collective understandings of the self.
Cuccagna and Smedile’s artistic inquiries converge in their exploration of transformative materials and subjects, initiating dialogues that transcend the boundaries between personal and cultural memory. Cuccagna’s Expanded Series consists of sculptural forms that repurpose marble waste and polyurethane foam, eliciting a visceral response to the inherent fragility and resilience of matter. These playful yet improvised compositions carry a performative quality, contemplating the tensions between destruction and renewal. Echoing visual references to classical sculptures or architectural surfaces, Cuccagna’s works evoke the mutability of matter itself. Viewed through this lens, her sculptures become contemporary artefacts, inviting contemplation of the historical remnants embedded within our everyday environments.
In parallel, Smedile’s installations, Margherita and Prima Pietra, explore the complex interplay between history, identity, and memory. In Margherita, Smedile transforms archival silk fragments once belonging to her grandmother into an immersive, textile-based installation that evokes notions of domesticity and communal space. By weaving together personal and collective histories, Smedile prompts a meditation on the relational dynamics of memory, identity, and the spaces we inhabit, amplifying the constructed nature of these narratives. Prima Pietra furthers this inquiry through a cast and frottage of an enigmatic inscription from the Church of San Rocco, Sicily — a text that has long defied translation by historians. By giving new voice to this cryptic language, Smedile reflects on themes of absence, loss, and the ephemeral nature of cultural meaning, resonating with contemporary discourses on the fragility of interpretation.
Who Are We Anyway? offers a critical reflection on the multifaceted layers of memory, materiality, and identity, presenting a rich platform for considering the socio-political dimensions of contemporary art. Rather than indulging in the fetishization of technique or material, Cuccagna and Smedile focus on unfolding the emotional and intellectual complexities that permeate their work. In doing so, the exhibition invites us to reflect on our own (un)conscious investments and ideological positions within the broader cultural landscape.
