Leonardo Petrucci's Mantis Exhibition at Gilda Lavia in Rome
The Gilda Lavia gallery in Rome is currently showcasing 'Viriditas, l’ultimo superstite,' a solo exhibition by Leonardo Petrucci, born in Grosseto in 1986. This exhibition delves into male praying mantises that evade cannibalism by opting not to mate, symbolizing the convergence of Eros and Thanatos. The term 'Viriditas' alludes to the green stage in alchemical processes. One of the most prominent pieces features a taxidermied male mantis encased in a vitrine, accompanied by a curtain that unveils an optical illusion of skulls and foliage. Additionally, a pink room divider exhibits charcoal sketches influenced by Lambspringk's 'De Lapide Philosophico' (1678). Another work, a carpet, symbolizes Mars, linking mantises and meteors through a painted surface with a taxidermied mantis. Petrucci's exploration connects art with Biology, Quantum Physics, and Astronomy.
Key facts
- Exhibition 'Viriditas, l’ultimo superstite' at Gilda Lavia gallery in Rome
- Leonardo Petrucci (born 1986 in Grosseto) is the artist
- Show focuses on male praying mantises that avoid cannibalism by not mating
- Title 'Viriditas' refers to the green phase of alchemy
- Largest work features a taxidermied male mantis raised and preserved by Petrucci
- Curtain with AI-generated pattern of leaves, not skulls
- Charcoal drawings inspired by 17th-century alchemical poem 'De Lapide Philosophico' by Lambspringk
- Separate room includes a carpet work of Mars with a black hole and meteor paintings
- Taxidermied mantis named Hermes connects mantis and meteor themes
- Petrucci graduated in 1986 from Accademia di Belle Arti di Roma with thesis on art and alchemy
- Previous related exhibition 'Antropofagia Simbiotica' in 2014 at Operativa, Rome
Entities
Artists
- Leonardo Petrucci
- Lambspringk
Institutions
- Gilda Lavia
- Accademia di Belle Arti di Roma
- Operativa
- NASA
Locations
- Rome
- Italy
- Grosseto
- Mars