PEELED FROM THE BODY (Torsos, Knees, Hips and Calves)
glass objects, 2022
plaster mold blown glass
The idea was to save the traces of intimate relation in glass. The title refers to the technique: I made a composition of naked bodies, covered in plaster, that was peeled from the skin and used as a mold for hot mold blowing. I was interested in preserving gestures of closeness that proves the emotional relationship of couple in an embrace. At the same time I wanted to keep it real: to focus on details such as the texture of the skin and the structure of the body created by bones and muscles.
The theme is the result of many years of my fascination with the body, but the direct inspiration was the story of the corpses preserved by the volcanic ash in Pompeii, after the eruption of Vesuvius in 79. In particular, I remembered the photo of corpses found in an embrace, known as the “Two Servants,” who were male according to a 2007 study, and that is why I focused on same sex couples.
Glass blower: Robert Lenner