Designer Martina Taranto was born and raised in Sicily, Italy. She grew up surrounded by art and ancient ruins, hence her focus on ruins grow back into nature.
Sicily is the cradle of ancient history, and it has its roots in the very distant era when the Greeks dominated. They spread a culture made of art and traditions that still manage to fascinate and amaze us today.
The signs of their passage are still visible in temples, theaters, and ruins across the island. The Greek period of Sicily dates back to 756 BC. C. during the foundation of the first colony Zancle.
Martina grew up around all this beauty. She learned to appreciate ruins as a sign of the passing of time, rather than something to refurbish or demolish.
//Dust to dust
For a long time in our society, mostly youth and vitality have been associated with beauty. Nowadays, there is a celebration around the idea of decadence as a decline after the peak of youth. This idea is embraced by a substantial part of society.
Conceptually designed to turn into dust, The Echoe Series cherish decadence as something desirable rather than problematic.
These sculptures represent life itself, and the echo of past civilizations: they are born, they culminate, and they start their decay, eventually dying off, and becoming one thing with the land.
Artifacts and architectural elements of Sicilian’s past civilizations inspired each part of the collection. Season object to decorate gardens, parks, and natural environments. Their metamorphosis through time creates a connection with the audience that sees them changing under their eyes. The decay is not the only process taking place, and the sculptures can create life, as nature can grow from them.
These ruins merging and growing back into nature are conversational pieces, through which the viewer can reflect on the relationship with the environment and the balance between what is humanmade and the circles of mother earth.
Photography: Courtesy by Martina Taranto.
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