ARTFEED — Contemporary Art Intelligence

Virginia Zanetti's 'I just want to know who I am' Explores Fall and Rebirth in Video and Photography

artist · 2026-08-03

In the 'Un’opera a settimana' series by ArtsLife, Virginia Zanetti showcases 'I just want to know who I am', a video diptych and photographic work conceived during the pandemic, following her earlier piece 'I Pilastri della Terra'. The focal image draws inspiration from a childhood recollection of her grandfather, Luigi Zanetti, who earned a silver medal at the 1948 London Olympics. The photograph's inversion symbolizes both descent and elevation. In partnership with Società Ginnastica Etruria 1897, she introduced a trampoline to the Bisenzio River, where athletes soared over ten meters. This work, produced by Fondazione Modena Arti Visive after winning the Premio Level 0 at ArtVerona 2020, was displayed at AGO – Modena Fabbriche Culturali and is now included in the Fondazione AGO collection.

Key facts

  • Virginia Zanetti presents 'I just want to know who I am', a video diptych and photographic work.
  • The work was created during the pandemic, after her series 'I Pilastri della Terra'.
  • The image is based on a childhood memory of her grandfather, Luigi Zanetti, a 1948 London Olympics silver medalist gymnast.
  • The work was realized with the Società Ginnastica Etruria 1897 of Prato, using a trampoline on the Bisenzio River beach.
  • Athlete Chiara Cecchi collaborated to achieve a relaxed body posture during the somersault descent.
  • The work was produced by Fondazione Modena Arti Visive after winning Premio Level 0 at ArtVerona 2020 with Traffic Gallery.
  • It was exhibited at AGO – Modena Fabbriche Culturali during Festival Filosofia, curated by Chiara Dall’Olio.
  • The work is now in the collection of Fondazione AGO.

Entities

Artists

  • Virginia Zanetti
  • Luigi Zanetti
  • Chiara Cecchi
  • Chiara Dall’Olio

Institutions

  • ArtsLife
  • Società Ginnastica Etruria 1897
  • Fondazione Modena Arti Visive
  • Traffic Gallery
  • AGO – Modena Fabbriche Culturali
  • Fondazione AGO
  • ArtVerona
  • Festival Filosofia

Locations

  • Prato
  • Italy
  • Modena
  • Bisenzio River
  • London
  • United Kingdom

Sources