Laurent Le Deunff's 'Marmott' at MuST Spoleto Challenges Perception
At the MuST – Museo delle Scienze e del Territorio in Spoleto, the Italian artist Laurent Le Deunff showcases 'Marmott. Storia di una specie non osservata,' under the curation of Isabella Vitale and Saverio Verini. This exhibition, part of the outdoor project pianobi and in partnership with Semiose gallery, features a marmot sculpture-fountain that challenges the idea of scientific classification, as the species is not native to the area. The display has been extended until September 12, 2026, and includes dialogues with zoologist Michele Capitani regarding 'technofossils' and the relationship between art and science. Le Deunff's creations, such as marble chewing gums and an alabaster bone, blur the boundaries between art and specimens, including a tribute drawing to zoologist Bernardino Ragni.
Key facts
- Laurent Le Deunff's 'Marmott. Storia di una specie non osservata' is on view at MuST in Spoleto until September 12, 2026.
- The exhibition is curated by Isabella Vitale and Saverio Verini, and is part of the pianobi outdoor project.
- The show features a sculpture-fountain of a marmot, originally created for pianobi, now placed among the museum's scientific collections.
- The project is realized in collaboration with the Parisian gallery Semiose.
- The exhibition aims to question the viewer's perception and trust in scientific classification.
- The marmot is not a local species, highlighting the theme of 'unobserved species'.
- The show includes works such as carved chewing gums in marble and an alabaster bone, displayed among fossils.
- A drawing of a black cat by Le Deunff pays homage to a wild cat drawing by zoologist Bernardino Ragni.
- The project is part of a series of contemporary art interventions at MuST, following projects by Giulia Mangoni and a collaboration between Cristiano Carotti and Pier Alfeo.
- The exhibition is part of the pianobi outdoor project, which aims to create site-specific works in dialogue with places.
Entities
Artists
- Laurent Le Deunff
- Isabella Vitale
- Saverio Verini
- Michele Capitani
- Giulia Mangoni
- Cristiano Carotti
- Pier Alfeo
- Bernardino Ragni
- Fred Wilson
- Barbara Bloom
- Adriana Polveroni
- Chiara Cianni
Institutions
- MuST – Museo delle Scienze e del Territorio di Spoleto
- pianobi
- Semiose
- Civic Museums of Spoleto
- exibart.com
Locations
- Spoleto
- Italy
- Rome
- Paris
Sources
- Exibart —