Santella

Assemblage object, 2019
limited edition of 8

gilded plywood, electrical socket, painted tubular metal, 5 Kg barbell weight

Santella, one of the italian terms for shrine, is an object that toys with the idea of sacred site, presenting in a profane and ironic way the motif, common in many religions and mythologies, of the “world tree” or “axis mundi”, the connection between Heaven and Earth.
A juxtaposition of archetypical shapes and ordinary objects, Santella is a weird domestic monument that emphasizes and ritualizes gestures like charging the phone. But don’t expect it to actually function. At best the socket may represent a spiritual connection of some kind, because after all, as religions teach, faith is all that matters.


Exhibited in 2021 at Antonia Jannone Disegni di Architettura in Milan for the F/A FakeAuthentic IconicIronic exhibition, curated by Amarchitectrue, and at the Belgian Art & Design Fair in Gent.