Volcanic Stone Totems Erupt in Naples, Forging a Dialogue Between Past and Present

11 hours ago7 min read3 comments

A profound new installation in Naples is reawakening the city's volcanic soul. Carved from the region's own 'piperno' lava stone, a series of monumental totemic sculptures has been erected, creating a stark and powerful landscape that forces a confrontation with the ground upon which the city is built.This is more than public art; it is a deep geological and historical reckoning, using stone born from Vesuvius's catastrophic eruptions as its primary medium. Each vesicular boulder is a tangible relic of the same forces that entombed Pompeii and Herculaneum, making the material an active participant in the work's narrative.The artist's chisel has shaped forms that evoke ancient standing stones and the chaotic beauty of Naples' own urban fabric, building a bridge between primordial earth and contemporary life. The installation compels a slower, more contemplative pace, transforming a public square into an open-air museum of planetary processes.In a city defined by layers of history—from Greek ruins to Baroque churches—this work adds a new stratum of meaning. It serves as a potent reminder of our fragile coexistence with the natural world, a theme of urgent relevance in an age of climate crisis. The silent congregation of totems does not simply occupy space; it activates it, prompting a necessary conversation about memory, place, and the dynamic, often violent, earth systems that ultimately shape human destiny.

#featured

#site-specific installation

#volcanic stone

#totemic sculptures

#Naples

#Tanat Ranieri

#landscape art

#contemporary art

#sculpture exhibition

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