Hilario Isola: Camouflage Sculptor Merges Art with Landscape
Italian artist Hilario Isola discusses his practice blending sculpture, architecture, and landscape. After a 2017 earthquake in Myanmar, he photographed bamboo scaffolding erected by locals to repair damaged pagodas in Bagan, which became the artist book 'Oh… My God!' (Humboldt Books, 2017). Isola's 'Atelier del Camouflage' uses eco-friendly fabrics to camouflage architectural blights, such as a 500 sqm concrete wall in La Morra, Langhe. His series 'I filosofi' features minuscule philosopher faces carved on nail heads, installed in emptied rooms. Recent projects include 'The Sleeper' at Galleria Mauro Mauroner, Vienna, exploring decay. Isola now works from a restored water mill, collaborating with beekeepers, farmers, and scientists on ephemeral works like cheese sculptures and grape-must sound installations.
Key facts
- Hilario Isola photographed bamboo scaffolding used to repair earthquake-damaged pagodas in Bagan, Myanmar after a 2017 earthquake.
- The photographs were published in the artist book 'Oh… My God!' by Humboldt Books in 2017.
- Isola's 'Atelier del Camouflage' camouflaged a 500 sqm concrete wall in La Morra, Langhe using eco-friendly printed fabric.
- The series 'I filosofi' consists of tiny philosopher faces carved on nail heads.
- Isola's exhibition 'The Sleeper' was held at Galleria Mauro Mauroner in Vienna.
- Isola works from a restored water mill that is energy-independent, powered by a wooden water wheel.
- He collaborates with beekeepers, farmers, scientists, and musicians on ephemeral works.
- The interview was conducted by Marco Enrico Giacomelli for Artribune in 2018.
Entities
Artists
- Hilario Isola
- Marco Enrico Giacomelli
Institutions
- Humboldt Books
- Galleria Mauro Mauroner
- Artribune
- Sublitex
- Sinterama
Locations
- Myanmar
- Bagan
- Italy
- Langhe
- La Morra
- Vienna
- Milan