Italian Artists on Still Life and Quarantine Reflections

In a feature on Artribune, curator Mercedes Auteri presents five Italian artists reflecting on still life and quarantine. Sergio Zavattieri discusses his series 'Botanica' (2005-2015) of artificial plants and 'Variazioni infinite', a homage to Giorgio Morandi. Salvo Catania Zingali shares his painting 'Sfince', depicting Sicilian sweets, as a symbol of nostalgia and solitude. Alessandro Finocchiaro describes his 2016 painting 'La conchiglia della fiera degli animali', inspired by a purchase at an exotic animal fair in Fiano Romano, and his series based on Gesualdo Bufalino's poetry. Giovanni Blanco reworked a 2012 painting of a horse skull, adding a vase of flowers during the pandemic, and created monotipi for the Ex Macello di Ispica, influenced by Ivano Ferrari's 'Macello'. Roberta Baldaro presents 'Circostanze naturali', a photo-drawing hybrid from her 'Posto nuovo' project, exploring private spaces and the uncanny intrusion of migrant boat wrecks.