Totemic sculptures compose volcanic stone landscape in Naples.

8 hours ago7 min read

In the shadow of Mount Vesuvius, a landscape both ancient and urgent emerges through Tanat Ranieri's site-specific installation in Naples, where totemic sculptures of volcanic stone stand as silent witnesses to the deep, tumultuous relationship between geology and human settlement. These are not mere artworks but geological artifacts, each fragment of lava stone carrying within it the memory of cataclysm and creation, much like the volcanic soil that has both destroyed and sustained the Campanian region for millennia.The installation serves as a profound ecological statement, drawing a direct lineage from the violent eruptions that shaped this terrain to the contemporary urban fabric built upon its precarious slopes. Ranieri’s composition, informed by fragments of both geological and urban observation, functions as an open-air laboratory where the slow, patient time of rock formation contrasts sharply with the rapid, often reckless pace of modern development.This dialogue between the permanent and the ephemeral is critical in a city like Naples, where the ever-present threat of volcanic activity is woven into daily life, a reminder of nature’s ultimate authority. The choice of material is itself a narrative; the porous, dark lava stone, born of fire and pressure, speaks to resilience and adaptation, themes that resonate deeply within the current climate crisis.Experts in volcanology and environmental art see such interventions as vital, bridging the gap between scientific understanding and public consciousness, forcing a confrontation with the forces that literally ground our existence. The totems, arranged as a miniature, contemplative landscape, invite viewers to consider their own place within a much larger, more powerful system—one that does not negotiate. This is not a passive exhibition but an active engagement with place, a call to remember that the ground beneath our feet is alive, capable of both nurturing life and unleashing unimaginable power, a duality that humanity must learn to respect rather than attempt to dominate.

#featured

#sculpture

#installation

#volcanic stone

#Naples

#art

#landscape

#site-specific

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