At the core of matter | ELEANOR LAKELIN's sculpture in dialogue with Etruscan Art

E X H I B I T I O N

AT THE CORE OF MATTER:

ELEANOR LAKELIN'S SCULPTURE IN DIALOGUE WITH ETRUSCAN ART

On show until the 15th of September, ESSENTIA, the third and final edition of the triennial exhibition program Timeless Encounters 2022-2024, unfolds as an interweave of perceptions, dialogues and reflections between the languages of Etruscan and Contemporary arts. In the evocative historical interiors of Palazzo dei Priori in Volterra, the sculpture in wood of British artist Eleanor Lakelin (1960), on show in Italy for the first time, and an unprecedented selection of archeological finds from the renowned Guarnacci Etruscan Museum collection explore the true essence of matter and indulge in its infinite ramifications and transformations. Delving into multiple possibilities of encounter, this curated body of vessels, amphoras and urns amazes visitors and presents its overall microorganism with timeless splendor.

“Matter is transformed into objects that invite touch and reflection, reminding us of our elemental and emotional bond with wood and earth.” - Eleanor Lakelin

ESSENTIA introduces a selection of artworks from Lakelin’s ongoing iconic series Echoes of Amphora, which witnesses the artist’s deep understanding of the material of wood. Lakelin's work and technique deepen the archetypal concept of the vessel as a metaphysical device that carries the human soul. Her sculptures transcend the object's function of the container, bringing the artwork to relinquish its material integrity to reveal what lies beneath the surface.

The series was initiated from the exploration of the peculiarities of the horse chestnut burr, resulting in iconic and unique forms that encompass an ancient, chaotic and primordial spirit. When working with this type of wood, Lakelin privileges the area of knots and interlocking grain that shows the tree’s stresses. The solid and firm treatment of the burr is accompanied by a sandblasting technique to smooth every crack and contour of the piece, unveiling the inner life of the tree.

In dialogue with Lakelin's sculptures is a group of Hellenistic pottery (III-II BCE) from the Museum's collection. Mirroring the deep connection between the world of the living and the world of the dead in the Etruscan civilisation, the exhibition presents an amphora, two oinochoe and a selection of unguentari, originally used for containing wine or water, together with a funerary dolio and two urns.

The artefacts represent a small part of the immense collection of black pottery and ceramic fragments preserved at the Museum. Accompanying individuals in many daily and celebratory activities, these objects are a reminder of their original key role in people’s lives and impact on personal experiences, trade and religious beliefs. Indeed, each singular vessel recalls the intimate interaction of Etruscans with ceramics, from birth to death, as well as embodies a unique bridge from a past culture to our present.

From micro to macro, the selected archeological and contemporary objects explore the dual function of matter: skin and container, a membrane that allows communication between the exterior and the interior. According to the Etruscans, vessels of various forms could house spirits in their cavities of all kinds and otherworldly meanings, alongside their daily functions. Lakelin's works take up this idea and go beyond it, leading the art object to surrender its material integrity, crumbling the surface - the cortex, and allowing the essence to pour out. The vessel thus becomes a portal.