Salvatore Arancio's Ceramic Totems at Federica Schiavo Gallery

Salvatore Arancio (Catania, 1974; lives in London) presents his ceramic sculptures at Federica Schiavo Gallery in Milan, in an exhibition titled 'And These Crystals Are Just like Globes of Light.' The show explores imagined nature through totemic forms inspired by remote civilizations, blending mineral, vegetal, and artificial elements. Arancio, a participant in the 2017 Venice Biennale curated by Christine Macel, has worked with ceramics since 2011, valuing its direct connection to nature and its unpredictable firing process. The exhibition is structured as a journey: the first room evokes a crystal cave in Mexico he was unable to visit; the second features sculptures that seem to observe the viewer; the third introduces a mineral presence linking science and mythology. Arancio's practice often involves performance, as seen in his 2017 miart installation 'Fashioned to a device behind a tree,' where performers mimicked sculptures. He recently produced large works for the Venice Biennale with Bottega Gatti in Faenza, and is preparing for a residency in Mexico to learn indigenous ceramic techniques.