Stefano Tonelli's Immersive Exhibition at Palazzo dei Priori, Volterra

Stefano Tonelli (Montescudaio, 1957) returns to Palazzo dei Priori in Volterra 29 years after his earlier project 'Volterra dell’angelo,' which was dedicated to a small angel from the Badia Camaldolese. For his new exhibition 'In Aenigmate,' Tonelli draws from the First Letter of Saint Paul to the Corinthians: 'Videmus per speculum in aenigmate,' focusing on the concept of enigma as a reflection of the pandemic era. The small but immersive show is divided into two rooms, featuring recent paintings on walls and two central installations made of earth: an oval walkway in the first room and a small mound in the second. Objects are embedded in the soil—bottles in the first room and painted flat stones in the second. Unconventional labels, consisting of white panels with titles, dates, and narrative texts (sometimes the artist's words, quotes, or poetry), become integral parts of the works. In the Sala Bianca, walls and ceilings are animated with paper cutouts in shapes of petals, planets, or stones, accompanied by a sound piece by Danny Lloyd that manipulates Bach's 'Erbame dich, mein Gott' with pandemic-related sounds. The exhibition culminates in a candle that remains perpetually lit, symbolizing remembrance for those lost to COVID-19 and an invitation to do good.