Y , 2023
borosilicate glass, hydrochloric acid, water, milk tooth 48x80x1,8cm

Y is a series of borosilicate glass works, each of which contains, sealed, a baby tooth dipped in an acid solution. Each of the Ys includes the name of the tooth’s owner in the title. Over time, the acid solution will consume the tooth until it disappears. The work hints at a form of presence linked to the invisible - although dissolved, the tooth, continues to “be there”- and at an idea of time transformed, but never fully obliterated. Similarly, in European folklore, the fallen tooth is placed under the pillow for the fairy to pick up, leaving a coin in its place. Fallen teeth thus serve as a conduit for a dialogue with an invisible and magical elsewhere, while marking the stages of leaving childhood.

The work was made possible by the kind cooperation of Dr. Andrea Jouve and the Department of Chemistry, University of Turin

Exhibitions:

2023 Data Mining, duo exhibition w/ Lorenzo Lunghi, La Rada, Locarno, curated by Tommaso Gatti & Yimei Zhang
2023 IMAGINA - XXVII Biennale di Gubbio, Palazzo Ducale, Gubbio, curated by Spazio Taverna (Marco Bassan, Ludovico Pratesi)

Press:

KubaParis

Pictures:

1-3 Y (Luca), installtion views at Data Mining, 2023, La Rada, Locarno, curated by Tommasi Gatti & Yimei Zhang
4-5 Y (Luca); Y (unidentified); Y (Paolo); Y (Alessandra), installation views at  IMAGINA - XXVII Biennale di Gubbio, Palazzo Ducale, Gubbio, curated by Spazio Taverna (Marco Bassan, Ludovico Pratesi)


Ph: Tiziano Ercoli & Riccardo Giancola (1-3), Gianluca Benedetti (4-5)