Magic Flowers, SIAM, Milan, Italy – 2015

The Society for the Promotion of the Arts and Crafts (SIAM is the Italian acronym) was founded in 1838 by cultural luminaries such as Heinrich Mylius, Antonio De Kramer, Michele Battaglia, Luigi Magrini and Giulio Curioni with the aim of supporting the technical progress of the manufacturing industry in the Lombardy region of Italy.
Since 1889 this institution has been housed in a palazzo in via Santa Marta in Milan, designed by Francesco Pestagalli and inspired by the “Renaissance Revival’ style of the second part of the 19th century.

When invited to contribute a work of art to an event called ‘Cortili Aperti’ (Open Courtyards), organised by the Historic Home Association of Italy (ADSI) to encourage people to explore outstanding houses, buildings and estates, Roberto Cambi was offered the library of SIAM1838 as the setting for his installation.

Amongst a wealth of scientific and technical books dating as far back as 1534, the most cherished are a copy of the ‘Encyclopèdie Ou Dictionnaire Raisonnè des Sciences, des Arts et des Metiers’ by Denis Diderot and Jean le Rond d’Alembert (1758-1776) and a complete copy of ‘Description des Arts et Métiers’ by Duhamel du Monceau (1761 – 1779).

‘Magic Flowers – Imaginario Planum’ mirrors the blossoming of past ideas which went on to change the cultural landscape of the region.
Both the foundation of the Politecnico of Milano (Polytechnic University of Milan, the largest technical university in Italy) in 1863 and the creation of the Esposizione Nazionale (the first national trade fair) in 1881 were conceived within the ranks of this organisation.

The brilliant white flowers still maintain the purity of something newly born and have yet to take in the colours and details of a wholly defined project.

Although seemingly suspended in the air to remind us that this was a place where innovators would have floated their ideas, they are deeply rooted in the tremendous intellectual legacy of the site.
These alien flowers might not be indigenous to the culture laden environment where they have blossomed, but they certainly reflect the historical drive of SIAM1838 to embrace and nurture new projects.

Photo Credit: Alessandra Sofia

The Oracle, Venice Lido and Island of San Servolo, Venice, Italy – 2014

There is something deeply flawed yet inherently human about the struggle to keep pace with technologies developed to enhance lives. People are eagerly and enthusiastically over connected. The sheer amount of words and images might give the illusion of barriers being breached and distances shortened, but it’s the struggle to process the constant stream of information that shapes our days.

The fast pace does not embolden us, rather leaves us feeling inadequate. The heartache of the future is the doubt of the past: people scamper, but do not move on. The same old worries about love, health, friends and family are undermining this false progress, searching for answers to questions that a bloated and superficial knowledge has failed to address.

Drawing inspiration from ancient Greece, the Oracle is possibly an homage to Dodona or the Pythia at the Temple of Apollo at Delphi. It relies on the willing suspension of disbelief and poetic faith of a viewer hoping to quash any uncertainty about the future.

First exhibited on the island of San Servolo in the Venetian Lagoon, the installation comprises a number of suspended sculptures – the Oracle – together with a set of wheels and a platform. The latter is connected to the arms of the Oracle with copper wires, so that any time a spectator stands on it, a connection of sorts is made to this sage. The wheels are inscribed with a list of possible questions and answers and can be spun to obtain the Oracle’s response to any query. Their movement mimics the randomness of life and mirrors what some might call fate.
In the words of the artist, the interaction with the sculpture highlights the easy transit from rationality to faith to superstition, but also the distorted belief that mankind cannot influence or determine its future.

The frame of the installation is 5m high, 2.5m wide and 2.5m deep. The Oracle is 3.5m high, 1m wide and 1m deep. It is formed by a male bust,  approximatively 100 arms and ocular bulbs. The platform is fixed about 2.50m away from the main frame, but it is connected to the main sculpture with copper wiring.

AN INTRODUCTION TO THE ORACLE |Written in Italian by Ilaria Datta – Translated by Chris Jordan|

The inspiration for this work of art might seem to be the Oracle at Delphi, which is at the centre of the tragedy of Oedipus. The focus of this piece is not the oracle itself, but the platform where a person waits for questions to be answered.

A visitor has to wait until the mechanism is set in motion. The wait is variable and can last up to three minutes. This is a reference to another myth: the story of Telemachus and Penelope patiently waiting for Ulysses’ return.

In times of uncertainty, it reflects on the present using references to Greek mythology with a modern twist. Stop, listen to the questions coming from your inner self and wait for the wisdom to surface from deep within. On the platform one is alone with oneself, the oracle is just an excuse, what really matters is the wait.

The myth of Oedipus, which begins with Laius consulting the oracle, ends with Oedipus being blinded, which helps him rediscover his true nature. The story of Ulysses ends with a reunion, which is the reward for patience.

This installation requires the visitor to step onto the platform with the body of a young Oedipus, with the patient nature of Penelope and with the gaze of Telemachus looking towards the sea.

It’s Only a Matter of Time, Ex. Macello, Padua, Italy – 2013
It’s Only a Matter of Time, Arsenale, Venice, Italy – 2014

The body of work for “It’s only a matter of time” was first displayed at the Ex. Macello, a former slaughterhouse, in Padua in 2013 for the exhibition “Futuro Anteriore”.

Whilst walking the corridor created by the installation, visitors were enveloped by the sound of crashing waves and met by a real goldfish in a bowl suspended in the air.

This work of Roberto Cambi then moved to the exhibition “9th International Arte Laguna Prize” in Venice in 2015 with a different configuration to suit the new surroundings. Selected as a finalist from the section “Sculptures and Installations”, it was awarded the prestigious Open Prize.

The stark space created by hanging the large fishbones reflected the themes of social isolation, depletion of natural resources, never-ending cycle of life and death and more broadly of human fragility. Like a collection of colourful glass washed up on the shore after a storm, Roberto Cambi’s detailed artifacts, lined up in glass jars full of water like preserved specimens, are also a powerful reminder that few stages of life are final.

Everything gets recycled, finds a new place or use, and death represents nothing more than the beginning of life under a new guise.

The installation comprises 36 white clay fishbones, 10 glass containers with glazed ceramic objects immersed in water, sound, and Zagor, a gold fish who usually resides in the artist’s studio in Milan.

A SHORT Q&A WITH ART SURGERY

AS: Where did you get the inspiration for this work?
RC: Inspiration for any work is often born out of an impression. When I was invited to exhibit at the Ex. Macello in Padua, I took some time to explore the location, which is something I always do, to get a feel for the space, but also to gather any memories associated with it.
It is an imposing building from the 19th century, straight out of the industrial architecture of that time.
Despite the extensive refurbishment and transformation, it still retains a lot of the original features such as drains, hooks and pulleys. This is a former slaughterhouse, a place of death, where thousands of animals were killed. As you can guess, it didn’t take long for the association of images to form in my head: bones, scarification, fragility, the transience of life on earth, our actions which in turn make our future even more uncertain.

AS: The word installation already implies the transformation of a space. Given the size of ‘It’s Only a Matter of Time’, do you usually have a location in mind when you start a piece or do you create it in a way that makes it easy to adapt it to different surroundings?
RC: I generally like to size up any space, look out for the potential and create a site specific body of work. At the same time I try to inject some flexibility in my work so that I can adapt it to suit different locations. Think on an elastic band that can be stretched, but can also resume its normal shape any time.

White Baccelloni and Green Flowers, Castle of San Pietro in Cerro, Piacenza, Italy – 2013

Contribution to DesigNaturArte, an outdoor art event focused on the relation between people and nature.

83 Ghosts Escape the Tower, Castello di Castellamonte, Turin, Italy – 2012

Contribution to the 52nd Ceramic Fair and 9th Applied Art Exhibition of 2012.

The installation 83 Fantasmi in Fuga was set up at the Castello di Castellamonte, a 14th century castle in the municipality of Castellamonte in the Piedmont region of Italy. Historically inhabitants of this small town were called ‘pignaté’ – pottery makers – by their neighbours since most of the functional pottery used in the region was traditionally made here.

Reflowering, Giardini Indro Montanelli, Milan, Italy – 2011

Contribution to the 16th Orticola Flower Show, an outdoor fair to promote Italian horticultural traditions in which landscape designers adorn the public gardens and the fountain within.