︎Angeli | Animali dell’Anima
︎They Shines with Both
(all images are courtesy of the artist)
/Angeli - Animali dell’anima (2019)
Animal representation has existed since ancient times, by cavemen, and recurs in human history until the present day: in the history of art, literature, religion. From east to west we bring with us a vast baggage ranging from tradition to biology.
The man, the woman, God and the beast
(The bird, the monkey, the cat/bear, the horse, the pig)
Variable dimensions
Installation, costume
Iron, fabric, sintetic hair, synthetic feathers
Angeli - Animali dell’Anima is a multidisciplinary project on animals in dreams. The series was born from the writing of the eponymous theatrical script composed by artist Martina Camani, starting from the books Beyond the words of Carl Safina and Animal Presences by James Hillman.
The whole project examines the reason for the coming of these creatures in a dream: with how much unshakeable trust continue to reappear, to appear at night, to fascinate and frighten us.
The animal in the dream reveals our subconscious as an animated archetypal form, it is in all respects all a lively and significant presence in its aesthetics; it is placed in what is the place of active imagination, the place of happening and the spiritual, of performance art and poetry, where the apparition, although not tangible, is in fact real.
The dream is intended as the core activity of the soul and animals as “diamons”, presences bearers of meaning.
Screenplay: Martina Camani
Directed by: Martina Camani
Costumes: Martina Camani
Tailoring: Silvana Bertuzzo, Nerina Farinello, Martina Camani
//They shines with both (2018)
iron,steel, brass, organza
120 x 30 x 135 cm
performance 10’
THEY SHINES WITH BOTH is an installation and a performance that investigates the relationship between the feminine and the masculine in the inwardness of every human being, aiming to a possible coexistence and harmonization of the two natures.
A steel sword with a golden hilt is the protagonist of the installation: on it is engraved the inscription THEY SHINES WITH BOTH, hence the title of the work.
The sword is a symbol in which the two directions, horizontal and vertical, therefore masculine and feminine, meet.
Feminine is the horizontal line: substance, earth, unconsciousness, creation, womb that welcomes, silver light; while masculine is spirit, sky, conscience and transcendence, golden line that firmly separates and pierces.
In the sword the two elements meet, clearly opposed, each in search of its own direction and identity, yet united. The verb SHINES, as in the title of the work, appears declined in the singular form and forces us to a resemantization of the pronoun THEY, therefore also singular, just as in the writings of Chaucer, Shakespeare and Austen. THEY as a plurality, but also he, she, or both, when the different and opposite natures are reunited as a whole in that pronoun. Without forgetting any, without betraying them at any point, indeed allowing them to shine reinvigorated one of the color of the other, WITH BOTH.
The weapon is wielded by a performer who, preparing him/herself for the action, wears a fuchsia organza suit set on the display stand of the sword. The organza suit was designed and produced according to shapes that can be adapted indifferently to the body of a man or a woman.
