Quayola's Robot-Carved Sculptures at mudaC in Carrara

The mudaC museum in Carrara, in collaboration with the city, presents a solo exhibition by Italian artist Quayola (born 1982 in Rome), exploring the relationship between human creativity and robotics. The show features a sculptural group of four elements titled 'Pluto #F_03_S4' and a large frieze 'Pluto and Proserpina Frieze #l_01', both inspired by the abduction of Proserpina from Ovid's Metamorphoses. The works are carved by robotic algorithms, positioning Quayola as a director of machines rather than a traditional sculptor. The 'non finito' (unfinished) aesthetic, borrowed from Michelangelo and classical marble sculpture, is applied to robotic carving to highlight algorithmic aesthetics. The pieces are made of expanded polyurethane, an industrial material, underscoring the dialogue between art history and contemporary research. The exhibition is curated by Laura Barreca, outgoing director of mudaC. A publication documenting Quayola's multi-year artistic research in Carrara has also been released. The choice of Carrara is deliberate: the city is internationally known for its marble quarries, and the robots used for marble processing are the same ones Quayola employs for his sculptures.