Born in Terni in 1981, Cristiano currently lives and works in Rome. He works with painting, sculpture and installation focusing on the influence of symbols on social dynamics. In his latest research, he investigated the conflict between Homo Naturalis and Mechanicus. This new body of works started with “Cella”, the installation presented in the Pietrasanta Baptistery. This new cycle celebrates the recovery of stolen spaces occupied by nature. Natural geometry such as beehives and nests grow wild on abandoned artifacts, creating contrasting visions for humans to face. For Carotti, these images represent the symbol of the relationship between human beings and nature. It’s in this regained bond that we should find the curative energies to overcome the climate crisis. The molding of beehives in clay represents a ritual with almost shamanic value, symbolizing the connection between the artist and nature. Much of “Cella’ is made of a mechanical element with a sculptural intrusion. The starting materials are metal scraps, once avant-garde vehicle parts designed for speed but today they lay abandoned, replaced by a better version of themselves.
These empty images of a frenetic lifestyle now host ceramic sculptures, molded on wild beehives. The contrast between the two different parts comes not only from their contexts, but also from the diverging idea of time that they belong to. The first one was born to compress time through speed, while the second naturally hatched from the slow passing of the seasons.
The choice of ceramic is strictly connected to the idea the artist has of time, especially the relation it should have with human activities and art. The creation of these works is a long process that cannot ignore bees and their patient work. The sculptures are later glazed with flashy colors, often iridescent like supercars, the fastest vehicles.