Eupnea {meaning “breathing in unison”} came together during the strange year of 2020, initially as a Creativity Lab and then during the pandemic lockdowns as a remote contemplative observation group. From these beginnings, the collective developed and then decided to use the Arte Laguna prize as an opportunity for a co-creative experience. Through experimentation and iteration, the group moved towards the four collective works presented here. Each collective work is composed of an original ‘catalytic’ piece by a different artist in our collective and pieces made by the other members in resonance with it.
This artistic experiment is also intended as a reflection of:
What co-creation means in our society today
How important it is to have an open mind and heart in order to understand, connect and embrace ourselves and the points of view of others so we can build on each other’s strength to better face our emotional struggle and enhance our creativity process
Catalytic piece: The WORLD Archetype (by Giorgia Madonno)- Painting N. 1 in the combine
This painting represents an archetype, a way to observe and describe ourselves and the world with universal lens and language, a way that can touch our un-logical unconscious through metaphors and that highly resonates with the artistic language. This specific archetype is called “The world” (using Tarot's name) and for me it represents the last stage of a journey of transformation when we finally arrive where we are meant to be, it invites us to have the courage to take this path . In the painting, the ice is breaking, the spring is arriving, the door is open and inviting.
The human figure comes from a very ancient inscription drawing found in caves in China. In order to bridge East and West cultures and find the essence of who we are below the cultural mask, I go back at the source of humanity artistic search: in the caves in Europe, where our ancestors were carving their first form of art and inscriptions and in China when the ancient seal script characters are born (so similar to American rupestrian inscriptions to drive us to ask ourselves if there is really any distinction). I merged all these inspirations with our contemporary visual language: carved inscriptions and graffiti with spray. I create texture and use my hometown ground powder to anchor my art to my origins, after so many years in Asia that have transformed me so much. This is important for me because our origins are part of our foundations, journey and identity.
Resonant pieces: Donna Chiu - Painting N. 4 in the combine
Giorgia’s work is an invitation to step into the unknown and experience the possibilities, good or bad, and be courageous to take a chance.
My work, in response to this, explores the visions of the world encountered after stepping out. The white layer separates the different slices of transformation, the outcome is still in progress. The usage of different medium, including acrylic, Chinese ink and paint spray represent my mix culture experience and influence in my artistic journey.
Resonant pieces: Joy Haughton - Painting N. 2 in the combine
The original piece gave me a strong sense of a human figure, probably an ancient or archetypal one with some magical or mystical flavour. I also wanted to reflect in my piece some aspects Giorgia represents for me - she is a connector (she brought us together) and she is connected to her roots and to the roots she makes for herself along the way. So I used an ancient human element from Giorgia’s Italian roots (Fumane cave paintings) and a human element from our Collective that she brought together (our hands) to form the building blocks of my piece. I wanted to record the feeling working with Eupnea has given me - stepping into a gentle, somewhat unknown mist together to explore deeply our art and our humanity.
Resonant pieces: Anastasiya Berasneve - Painting N. 3 in the combine
This milky colour in the centre of Giorgia’s painting just makes you want to jump in. And when you do, you do, you do not know what is next and what it feels like, it almost promises to be warm and good – but you can never know. My reflection of Giorgia’s work is the possibilities of different outcomes. They can be fulfilled or empty, any shape and form and one can try it all.
