la carne dell'orso
(bear meat)
2019 — 2023, group exhibition at palazzo dei musei, reggio emila, it
“this was it — the bear meat; and now that many years have passed, I regret that I ate so little of it, for nothing has had, even distantly, the taste of that meat, which is the taste of being strong and free, free also to make mistakes and be the master of one’s destiny. ”
primo levi, the periodic table, iron.
concept
the project aims to provide a vision on the fragile relationship between human and nature through an investigation into the ethical, symbolic and anthropological evolution of conservation practices adopted over time to protect the apennine bears. juxtaposing contemporary photographs with historical images from the abruzzo, lazio and molise national park’s archive presented as “evidence” for factual context, the work brings attention to the anthropocentric approach behind the supposed objectivity of conservation efforts — the aesthetic and symbolic identification with animals as well as our longings projected on nature. it’s a reflection on humanity’s role in conservation endeavors and the subjective factors that drive our choices to protect nature and consequentially define it.