medina zabo w*rmth
di
medina zabo w*rmth
di
enjoy the w*rmth shining!
how’s the weather today?
to illuminate the forms please use your mobile torch on the surface or wait for the sunset
a contemporary kula ritual
the soft sculptures are crafted from pearlescent waterproof textile sourced in Dongdaemun, a bustling market district in South Korea. I received the fabric from another artist as a gift during a significant period of relocation. the building where we both had established our studios, like many other international artists, was suddenly vacated, causing the dispersion of a vibrant artistic community elsewhere.
The fabric preserves and embodies itself a fascinating story about invisible communities moving across places to call home.
The Kula (or so called the kula rings) is a ceremonial exchange system rooted in The Trobriand Islands (Papua New Guinea), notably recorded by polish-british anthropologist bronislaw Malinowski.
in this contemporary Kula ritual, the exchange now involves elms, reflecting an installation process that unfolds over two days and is conceived as a relational conversation between the human body and plants, symbolizing a deeper connection and exchange of energies.
korean waterproof fabric sourced locally and received as a gift in london, sheep wool insulation, dimensions vary // design for WAF©2024
swing the creatures to read
in secret dens at the Riverside Garden
..dizzy squared buildings spiraling through the air, the Thames flowing in between, blended rhythms of walking all over the place, even the rounding chairs never take a pause.
Textiles objects hanging from the trees kindly aim to draw attention to the delicate presence of the Elms, that poetically preside over the area, like good neighbours.
Are they objects or living creatures to us?
Weird organisms climb up the trunk, waiting for the sunset to light up and find other hidden nests to nurture feelings of being home.
W*rmth is part of the wider project In Secret Dens. Formless creatures, as inhabitants of trees, populate our gaze by summoning invisible surroundings underneath our feet. Beyond the architectural geometries above, they invite the public to access further dimensions of visual and sonic agency.
about the artist
hello, Medina here. I was once an investigative journalist. In 2013 I quit my career to fully commit to the artistic research, prompted by an experience of six months cohabitation with a colony of honeybees that, out of the blue, decided to settle in my house. My inquiry is rooted in the process of metamorphosis as a social metaphor addressing the mutuality between human and non-human realms.
I graduated in Communication Studies from Universitá degli Studi di Perugia, then went to earn a BA in Painting at Accademia di Belle Arti Pietro Vannucci of Perugia and that of Rome. I was awarded the O.R.A. prize for the artistic research (2018) and finalist at Arte Laguna Prize (Land Art Section). Currently I’m pursuing a MFA at the Royal College of Art to advance my process-led practice and inquiry in response to the urgency of contemporary issues.
to learn more www.medinazabo.com
medinazabo©2024
