ABOUT CAPTIVITY
Artist: Marco Grassi
Land of Origin: Italy
” Captivity”, was meant to metaphorically represent the relationship between humans and nature, a recurrent source of inspiration in Marco Grassi’s artistic production.
Mankind is represented by a young girl with a thoughtful gaze embracing her knees, while one with nature. The environment is revealed by a yellow-green chameleon that melts into the color of it’s surrounding. The proximity and content of the two within the scene reflect the inarguable connection we have with the natural world.
The link between humankind and nature is clearly revealed through the presence of the golden chain that bonds the girl’s finger to the animal itself. A dainty, precious collar tightens around chameleon’s neck. In this way the artist wanted to underline the subordination and submission of this natural connection. He aimed to expose the emotional states of each subject.
Marco explains his desire to do so: ” While the woman appears perfectly calm and nearly lost in her own thoughts, the animal expresses a quiet scream , the likes of which are not expected to be heard”.
Marco intends to convey a gestural expressiveness that he believes mirrors our current attitude towards nature. There is visual confirmation of these states. He says, ” We enslaved the natural world and only to some extent do we even care about the life that exists there. While the nakedness represents vulnerability and fragility, she is yet to learn about the extent of her power to influence and affect the world.”
The message is stealth but clear, all at once. Life is precious and symbiotic, and its neglect will be answered.