(November 7, 2016) Conveying an ecological message through art. This is the intention of the Italian Institute of Culture in Sydney who has decided to raise public awareness on environmental issues and give visibility to two artists whose main workhorse is the environment. The IIc of the Australian city has indeed given its own exhibition space for an exhibition that has for protagonists plants and landscapes. It is, in fact, scheduled for November 10 at the headquarters of the IIC (Lev. 4, 125 York Street, Sydney) the opening of "Ecological Footprints " born from the collaboration of two artists: Giorgia Severi and Diego Bonetto. The exhibition - which will be open to the public until next December 2, during the IIC's opening hours (9:30 to 17:00 from Monday to Thursday, 9:30 to 13:00 on Fridays) - reflects on a migrant and globalised landscape presenting chalcographic prints of cosmopolitan species living in both Italy and Australia. The works, a series of prints obtained with special methods, were in fact carried out in two sessions, one in Italy and one in Australia but with the same plant species, thus constituting together, the landscapes, the places where the plants are were cultured and consequently the proven evidence of the existence of these plant species in both countries. This is referred to a migratory, and if you will colonizer, landscape, reflecting globalization and anthropogenic environment which extends to the whole world. The plants considered, used since ancient times all over the world for medicinal and edible purposes, are part of the annals of herbal and medicine in addition to being widely used in traditional cooking. (PO/red)

PROFILE / THE ARTISTS

Giorgia Severi is an Italian multimedia artist passionate about landscape, anthropic action and the relationship between human beings and the environment. Her artistic practice includes installations, sculptures and drawings or paintings as well as performance. She studied restoration of ancient mosaics at the Academy of Fine Arts in Ravenna, Italy. Giorgia Severi works on international projects collaborating with different artists for video and sound installations in site specific projects and workshops. Her last important exhibitions were Beyond Landscape, Galleria Renata Fabbri, Milano; MAXXI National Museum of 21st Century Arts, Rome MAXXI Temporary School; Curate it Yourself 2015, Paris; 56 Biennale Venezia 2015, Country Pavillon Collateral Event.
Diego Bonetto is an Italian artist, keen naturalist and award winning cultural worker based in Sydney, who since 2002, has been working as a multimedia practitioner and cultural engagement practitioner, and is key member of artists’ collectives SquatSpace and the BigFAGPress. Diego is dedicated to enabling convivial conversations around belonging, sustainability and agency. Through environmental art campaings such as WeedyConnection, Wild Stories and Wild Food Map he has shared insights into edible and medicinal wild plants in Australia, and fostered culturally aware interpretations of landscape. Bonetto regularly conducts workshops, foraging tours and performances to reframe environmental identity and stewardship, and collaborates extensively with chefs, dancers, media art practitioners, craft workers, herbalists, brewers, educators, landowners and elders of many ethnicities.