Victoria Zidaru's Lingua Ignota Installation at Venice's Istituto della Pietà

Victoria Zidaru, a Romanian artist born in 1956 in Liteni, has unveiled a site-specific installation named Lingua Ignota at Venice's Istituto della Pietà. This work draws inspiration from the mystical alphabet of 12th-century nun Hildegard of Bingen. It incorporates hand-woven aromatic herbs—sage, anise, nettle, and fennel—gathered from both Romania and the Venetian lagoon, echoing Hildegard's explorations in medicine. With four decades of experience in plant materials and weaving, Zidaru often engages with local communities. An initiative called Donate a Word, inspired by the Romanian ritual Descântec, encourages contributions through donateaword.org. This installation was commissioned by the non-profit ERA – Ecosostenibilità, Ricerca e Arte, established in 2021, which partners with Istituto della Pietà to address trauma through art. It is currently on display.