Ludovica Gioscia: Arturo and the Vertical Sea
Baert Gallery is pleased to announce Ludovica Gioscia's second solo show, Arturo And The Vertical Sea.
Three large-scale wooden structures act as looms that weave together different textures, colour palettes and materials to form ecological assemblages. These giant looms host devotional ceramic compositions resembling ex-votos, textile hangings acting as portals to interspecies tenderness, talismanic robes, double-sided hand painted wallpapers and watercolours recording telepathic exchanges.
Many works in the show are collaborations between Gioscia and her cat Arturo that employ intimacies such as affection, joy and purring as elements of production. These organic and emotional ingredients are distilled through processes borrowed from Vibrational Medicine, with the distillate permeating a series of new papier-mâchés. These are stacked on live edge wooden shelves made in collaboration with designer Mark Thurgood from wood sourced from Kew Gardens in southwest London, home to the largest and most diverse botanical and mycological collection in the world.
With titles such as Mapping Emotions, Gift For Arturo, Autumn Harvest and Making Kin, the layered compositions are informed by Staying with the Trouble: Making Kin in the Chthulucene, a recent book by multispecies feminist theorist Donna J. Haraway. In the context of climate change, Haraway offers new perspectives on how we could reconfigure our relations to the earth and all of its inhabitants.
'Making kin' refers to the act of cultivating connections with the other souls - plants, animals and microbes - with whom we share the planet. Although not biologically family-based, such kinship connections foster equally important and urgent obligations and consequences. To make kin is a multi-species call for care.
To accompany the show Gioscia has created an artist's book in collaboration with curator Marina Dacci titled Cosmic Flow. Inspired by the artist's teenage diaries and sticker albums, the publication is a non- linear journey into her practice, punctuated by Dacci's texts printed on unbound tracing paper.
A real labour of love, it includes four different print methods - a screen printed cover, laser printed pages with risograph accents and stickers.
As part of the body of works created for the show, the artist has transcribed a brief conversation with Arturo in which their daily interactions and processes are explored. A diary of daily textures can be read alongside an interview with gallery director Christian Baert in which the artist expands on her processes and ideas within the exhibition.
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Ludovica GiosciaPortal 23, 2020Fabric, VHS and magnetic tape, Arturo’s hair, wool, distilled affection, thread and metal pole91 x 47 1/4 in
231 x 120 cm -
Ludovica GiosciaTramonti Felini, 2020Watercolor on lining paper393 3/4 x 22 1/8 in
1000 x 56 cm -
Ludovica GiosciaWeave, 2015Ceramic and screw12 1/4 x 12 5/8 x 1 5/8 in
31 x 32 x 4 cm -
Ludovica GiosciaMaking Kin, 2020Wood shelf made in collaboration with Mark Thurgood.
Dried flowers, ceramic digits, wood shelf made from Horse Chestnut and Southern Yellow Beech from Kew Gardens and papier-mâché made from pulps of: CBD tea, distilled joy, my pyjamas, 90’s photos, newspaper, natural pigments, distilled affection, Arturo’s hair, cork, commercial and screen printed wallpaper, household paint, iridescent, gold and fluorescent paper, Khadi cotton rag paper, Toupret, plaster, The Economist, Fabriano and Canson paper, tissue paper, Khadi cotton rag paper, Indian ink, glitter, hessian, wood shavings from Seb’s workshop, Arturo’s purring, mica flakes, paper found in recycling bag, wallpaper paste and PVA glue37 3/8 x 56 1/4 x 9 1/8 in
95 x 143 x 23 cm -
Ludovica GiosciaMessage from Arturo, 2020Watercolor on paper9 7/8 x 7 1/2 in
25 x 19 cm -
Ludovica GiosciaAutumn Harvest, 2020Wood shelf made in collaboration with Mark Thurgood.
Dried flowers, pine cones, algae, ceramic digits, wood shelf made from English Oak (Quercos robur) from Kew Gardens and papier-mâché made from pulps of: distilled joy, debris from Giant Decollages from the past and from the future, magazines, cosmetic packagings, acrylic paint, natural pigments, distilled affection, cork, commercial and screen printed wallpaper, iridescent and fluorescent paper, Arturo’s hair, wood, screen-printing ink, Fabriano and Canson paper, tissue paper, Indian ink, hessian, Arturo’s purring, mica flakes, surface attractor, GIF paper, studio draw mixed papers, Mary’s handmade paper, wallpaper paste and PVA glue23 5/8 x 33 1/8 x 7 1/8 in
60 x 84 x 18 cm -
Ludovica GiosciaPortal 24 (front and back sketches), 2020Marker pen, fabric, thread and sewing pins on paperEach
9 7/8 x 6 3/4 in
25 x 17 cm -
Ludovica GiosciaPortal 23 (front and back sketches), 2020Marker pen, fabric, thread and sewing pins on paperEach:
9 7/8 x 6 3/4 in
25 x 17 cm -
Ludovica GiosciaPortal 24, 2020Fabric, screen-printing ink, thread and metal pole91 3/4 x 44 1/2 in
233 x 113 cm -
Ludovica GiosciaMessage from Arturo 2, 2020Watercolor on paper9 7/8 x 7 1/2 in
25 x 19 cm -
Ludovica GiosciaArturo and the Vertical Sea, 2020Watercolour on acid free paper8 1/4 x 11 3/4 in
21 x 29.7 cm -
Ludovica GiosciaDream Robe 3 (front and back sketches), 2020Marker pen, fabric, thread and sewing pins on paperEach:
9 7/8 x 6 3/4 in
25 x 17 cm -
Ludovica GiosciaUltramarine Embrace, 2020Watercolor and screen printing ink on lining paper315 x 22 1/8 in
800 x 56 cm -
Ludovica GiosciaKiki 2, 1994Chalk on paper11 3/8 x 11 1/8 in
29 x 28 cm -
Ludovica GiosciaMoist Feelings, 2020Ceramic, screws and papier-mâché made from pulps of: distilled joy, Arturo’s purring, The Economist, natural pigments, India ink and glitter23 5/8 x 26 3/4 x 2 in
60 x 68 x 5 cm -
Ludovica GiosciaDream Robe 3, 2020Fabric and thread77 1/8 x 48 1/8 x 9 1/2 in
196 x 122 x 24 cm -
Ludovica GiosciaUltramarine Touch, 2020Ceramic, twine, screw and papier-mâché made from pulps of: distilled joy, 90’s photos, glitter, Indian ink, CBD tea, wood shavings from Seb’s workshop, Canson paper, The Economist, hessian, distilled purring, wallpaper paste and PVA glue29 7/8 x 18 7/8 x 1 5/8 in
76 x 48 x 4 cm -
Ludovica GiosciaMycelium Magic, 2020Ceramic and screw11 3/8 x 7 7/8 x 3/4 in
29 x 20 x 2 cm -
Ludovica GiosciaKiki, 1994Coffee on paper11 3/8 x 11 1/8 in
29 x 28 cm -
Ludovica GiosciaDream Robe 2, 2020Fabric, Arturo’s hair and thread
77 1/8 x 48 1/8 x 9 1/2 in
196 x 122 x 24 cm -
Ludovica GiosciaArturo, 2020Ceramics, pine cone, twine and screws41 x 23 5/8 x 1 5/8 in
104 x 60 x 4 cm -
Ludovica GiosciaPortal 22, 2020Fabric, screen-printing ink, paper pulp, plastic, thread and metal pole88 1/4 x 47 1/4 in
224 x 120 cm -
Ludovica GiosciaMapping Emotions, 2020Wood shelf made in collaboration with Mark Thurgood.
Wood shelf made from Horse Chestnut and Holm Oak from Kew Gardens, papier-mâché made from pulps of: Interfacing fabric, crepe paper, screen print from 2005, CBD tea, distilled joy, my pyjamas, 90’s photos, newspaper, natural pigments, distilled affection, Arturo’s hair, cork, commercial and screen printed wallpaper, household paint, iridescent, gold and fluorescent paper, Khadi cotton rag paper, Toupret, plaster, The Economist, Fabriano and Canson paper, tissue paper, Indian ink, glitter, hessian, wood shavings from Seb’s workshop, Arturo’s purring, mica flakes, paper found in recycling bag, wallpaper paste and PVA glue on board43 1/4 x 44 1/8 x 9 7/8 in
110 x 112 x 25 cm -
Ludovica GiosciaSuperorganism, 2020Fabric and thread218 1/2 x 22 1/2 in
555 x 57 cm -
Ludovica GiosciaDeath of the Diet, 2017Ceramics and screws22 7/8 x 10 1/4 x 1 1/8 in
58 x 26 x 3 cm -
Ludovica GiosciaArturo's Incarnations, 2020Ceramics and screws23 1/4 x 17 3/4 x 2 in
59 x 45 x 5 cm -
Ludovica GiosciaPortal 22 (front and back sketches), 2020Marker pen, fabric, thread and sewing pins on paperEach:
9 7/8 x 6 3/4 in
25 x 17 cm -
Ludovica GiosciaGift For Arturo, 2020Pine cones, dried flowers, ceramic digits, wood shelf made from Horse Chestnut and Southern Yellow Beech from Kew Gardens and papier-mâché made from pulps of: CBD tea, Mary’s handmade paper, distilled joy, Arturo’s purring, natural pigments, distilled affection, Arturo’s hair, cork, commercial and screen printed wallpaper, surface attractor GIF paper, electricity cards, studio draw mixed papers, iridescent and gold paper, The Economist, Fabriano and Canson paper, tissue paper, screen printing ink, Indian ink, glitter, hessian, wood shavings from Seb’s workshop, dried flowers, mica flakes, paper found in recycling bag, wallpaper paste and PVA glue31 1/8 x 20 7/8 x 9 7/8 in
79 x 53 x 25 cm -
Ludovica GiosciaPainted Lady, 2020Papier-mâché made from pulps of: distilled joy, Canson and Fabriano paper, Indian ink, hessian, Mary’s handmade paper, paper in recycling bag, Arturo’s hair, natural and artificial pigments, silver, gold and iridescent card, coffee, surface seductor and surface attractor GIF paper, glitter, electricity cards, screen printing ink, studio draw mixed papers, screen printed and commercial wallpaper, screen print from 2006, debris from previous Giant Decollage, acrylic paint, distilled affection, wallpaper paste and PVA glue in Oak frame42 1/2 x 45 5/8 x 3 1/2 in
108 x 115.9 x 9 cm -
Ludovica GiosciaEarth Couture, 2020Ceramics, twine and screws36 1/4 x 28 3/4 x 2 in
92 x 73 x 5 cm -
Ludovica GiosciaDream Robe 2 (front and back sketches), 2020Marker pen, fabric, pencil, thread and sewing pins on paperEach:
9 7/8 x 6 3/4 in
25 x 17 cm
