Fabio Sciortino's Vibrant Matter Exhibition at Officine Bellotti in Palermo

Fabio Sciortino (Monreale, 1971) presents 'Materia vibrante' at Officine Bellotti in Palermo, marking his return after many years. The exhibition, curated by Ida Parlavecchio, features 64 paintings and one environmental installation. The title references Jane Bennett's essay 'Vibrant Matter: A Political Ecology of Things' (Timeo, Palermo 2023), exploring the agency of matter beyond human dominance. Sciortino's abstract paintings use thick brushstrokes and liquid glazes, depicting landscapes as dynamic, molecular energies. His recent series 'Materia vibrante' (2024-25) shows refined synthesis. In the former Bellotti warehouse, he installed a garden of 2,500 hand-blown glass stalagmites planted in a perfect circle, illuminated by a single low light creating shadow projections. This site-specific work contrasts with previous glass gardens in natural settings (Seravezza, 2010; Piacenza, 2023). Sciortino teaches painting at the Academy of Fine Arts of Florence, previously at Carrara. The exhibition runs at Officine Bellotti, a multifunctional art center opened in 2024 in a former stationery-printing shop.