The Caves and Karst Art Contest by the European Speleological Federation FSE; winners announced on the 4th June 2022

De Sanctis, Irene

Italy

I’m a young Italian artist and speleologist; my research investigates human and natural soul, the interactions between the two worlds and their poetical sublimations, availing most of times of color experimentation, true soul of the artworks. My journey is a continuum that goes through cultures, means of expression, antrophic and natural forms, knowledges and shortcomings of humanity, tending to build a personal and collective identity.

The ambient of the cave means a lot to me and influences deeply my artistic research, allowing me to dip myself dirctly into this beautiful sensibility the earth has, and to dip in myself as well. All the cracks, signs, wrinkels that are shown on the rocks, I can find them in life beings inside and outside the cave. Caves taught me their millennial patience and perseverance, to think out of the box in all the possible directions, and I feel like owing a lot to them, both as an artist and as a human being.

I was born in 1998, I have a Bachelor in Painting taken at Academy of Fine Arts in Rome and I’m currently studying there for a Master degree. Foraward, all my collective exhibitions and partnerships listed:

– “Pietrabbondante – Discover and create, Tale of an encounter”, October/November 2019, edited by INASA, Palazzo del Municipio, Pietrabbondante (IS)

– Performance “I am”, in partnership with and edited by Gruppo Portico d’Ottavia, 30/05/21, Piazzale delle Belle Arti, Rome

– BAG – Biennial China-Italy Young Art, years 2021/2022, edited by Hong Lingyi and Livia Giuliani

– “Marginal notes 2”, July/August 2021, edited by Sandro Polo with the cooperation of GAF-Glocal Art Factory, at Biblioteca Gino Pallotta, Fregene (RM)

– “Entropia”, September/October 2021, edited by Laura G. Bevione, at gallery StudioLab 138, Pavona (RM)

– “Learn artfully: journey as life’s metaphore”, November 2021/January 2022, edited by Laura Lucibello, ass.ne Apai Arte, Bagnaia (VT)

Terra quieta #1
Terra quieta #3
Terra quieta #6

Ink, watercolor, oil on japanese paper, 92 x 62 cm, 2021

This painting cycle reflects on human-nature bonding, allowing the developing and the interpretation of elements which claims to the Earth, felt as a warm and enveloping presence; to the signs, the cracks, the wrinkles of the skin, of the ground, of the trees, which becomes identifying hypertext of life being; to the poetic sensibility of Human’s and Cave’s soul, the latter seen as a womb to whom we can’t avoid to go back to.