The skin of octopus
Sardinia, Italy

The octopus is one of the species that, during its evolution, has distinguished itself by the peculiarity of its transformation and still today it is surrounded by an aura of extreme fascination and mystery hidden by the curiosity of the human being to understand its behavior, , its habits with a tendency to find similarities just with the human species. This marine figure performs its first great transformation by getting rid of the shell that has become an obstacle to its agility and finding a new way to overcome its vulnerability by finding tools for shelter and for the construction of its lair, its habitat. Curiosity, the ability to find solutions and build a habitat become common points with the human being. The sensory neurons of the octopus have a similar pattern to that of man; they have consciousness and memory, they can swim for long distances and are able to find the same den at kilometers away. These dynamics of hunting, of search for sustenance and of permanence, of return to the house, are close to the description of the habits of the man, in particular the fisherman and, at the widest scale, the specific case of a small fishing village on the west coast of Sardinia, which has become a favourite object of observation: Marceddì. This lagoon site, which has become a permanent space for fishermen over time, is an important geographical, cultural and landscape settlement, the result of a process of appropriation and slow change in the territory. It is shown as a true territorial figure, place of landings and continuous returns. Its hybrid character, its dirt roads, the genesis of the urban center defines an organism in total symbiosis with the lagoon. These characters, like visual traces that outline the human geography, capture my curiosity. It returns an intimate portrait of the place aware of the fact that every single gesture made or received on this planet, as human beings, is a direct consequence of the synergy with nature and with the animal world.

Publications:
– Urbanautica Institute Awards