In Conversation
Fragmentation as a Form of Fascination
Micaela Lattanzio's creative process centers around a meticulous ritual of cutting and re-arranging photographs. This deconstruction challenges perceptions, transforming familiar visuals into intricate mosaics. Through this method, she navigates the delicate balance between form and concept, inviting viewers to dive deep into the narrative behind every piece.
1. Did your academic background in Rome and Havana specifically influence your artistic work? If so, how?
The study of art history and my close connection to Roman archaeological artifacts have had a significant and multifaceted impact on my artistic journey, influencing it both practically and philosophically, as well as aesthetically. Constant exposure to these artifacts, particularly mosaics and frescoes, has led me to deeply reflect on the concept of the fragment and its symbolic value. In the early years of my artistic training, the study of mosaic techniques was not just a manual practice but also a philosophical exploration of how individual elements, while maintaining their individuality, combine to form a cohesive whole. It was only later, when I began to seek a personal expressive language, that I realized how much these roots had shaped my vision. I preserved the generative essence of the mosaic fragment, reinterpreting it in a radically new way, where the fragment is no longer merely a part of the whole but becomes a bearer of its own autonomous meaning. From observing restored frescoes, I was inspired to create my artistic series "Fragmenta," named after the "fragmenta picta," a restoration technique that reassembles the discovered portions without reconstructing the missing parts, thus creating a sort of unfinished work. This process led me to explore the concept of emptiness as an active element in composition, an emptiness that is not absence but a space of potential and expectation. Philosophically, the void between the fragments becomes a symbol of the "unsaid," the interstitial space where meaning is generated. This void forces the viewer into a more attentive observation, a meditation on the relationship between the visible and the invisible, between fullness and emptiness. It is within this rhythm of absences and presences that my artistic vision unfolds, aiming not to provide definitive answers but to provoke questions, leaving room for personal interpretation and emotional interaction with the viewer. Through this process, my artistic practice has evolved into a continuous exploration of the tension between fragment and totality, between what is visible and what remains hidden, offering a reflection on how we perceive and construct reality. My study residency in Havana was a deeply transformative experience, especially after traveling through the country and interviewing numerous Cuban artists and writers. What struck me most was the intrinsic vision of ritual, an essential component that permeates the visual arts, music, and dance in Cuba. This vision is not merely observed but lived, actively involving the viewer, who becomes an integral part of the artistic context. Cuban art seems to operate as a field of energy, a combination of colors and people merging with the work itself, transforming into a living, dynamic subject where subject and object blend and propagate into a single synchronous experience. This synchronicity transcends temporal barriers, fusing past, present, and future, intertwining tradition, environment, and culture into a single fabric. This reflection led me to rethink the concept of a work of art not as an autonomous and static entity but as an activating device, a catalyst of experiences that activates and transforms the context in which it is placed. In this sense, the work is not simply an object to be contemplated but a means through which a transformation of reality is enacted, involving the viewer in an active and participatory dialogue. In my work, I enjoy exploring aesthetic duality, starting from the relationship between the micro and macro cosmos. The works I create always offer multiple ways of viewing, fueled by the tension between a global perspective and a close observation of detail. This duality manifests not only in my installations but also in my paintings, where the detail of a single fragment can reveal new meanings when observed up close, while the entire composition emerges from a broader perspective. Through this exploration, I seek to create works that are not only visually intriguing but also provoke deeper reflection on the nature of reality and how we perceive it. My art thus becomes an invitation to active participation, to explore the boundaries between illusion and truth, between fragment and whole, in a continuous play of discovery and revelation.
2. How do your site-specific interventions influence your artistic practice? Is there a particular piece that stands out for you, and why?
Site-specific interventions represent for me an additional narrative dimension, one that allows me to transcend the boundaries of the canvas and create works in situ, where the environment is no longer just a container but becomes an integral part of the artwork itself. An emblematic example of this approach is the installation “SandCloud,” a modular work composed of thousands of hexagonal fragments of photographs of skies from different parts of the world. I have presented “SandCloud” in various contexts, adapting its form and dimensions each time to include and interact with the architectural or natural features of the space. The installation unfolds as a Fibonacci spiral, composed of photographic hexagons mounted on wooden stakes of varying heights, rising from the ground by about 40-50 cm. The idea behind this work stems from the desire to make the immaterial tangible, to give form and substance to the most abstract element of all: the sky. In our perception, the sky seems to have a solid consistency and a physical reality, even though it is actually an intangible stratification that occupies our cosmic space. The sky has always been a physical entity, the seat of our dreams and aspirations, as tangible to our thoughts as the earth beneath our feet. Bringing the sky down to earth, accessing its inconsistency, symbolically brings us closer to our aspirations and dreams. To capture that sense of material irreversibility, I treat the sky as if it were a mosaic to be assembled, making the particles that compose it visible and corporeal, as if observed through a magnifying glass. In SandCloud, the work takes on a particular consistency when viewed from a distance, but it is only through close exploration that the complex patterns and the interplay of light and shadow that give it its three-dimensionality emerge. This play of perspectives reflects the complexity of human perception and the multifaceted nature of reality, inviting the viewer to constantly move between what is visible and what is hidden, between the near and the distant, between the visible and the invisible. The diffraction of the image and its spatial extension engage the viewer and the surrounding space, generating an optical synesthesia that allows the power of representation to transcend the real.
3. What led you to explore the concept of "deconstructing reality" in your work, and how do you approach this creative process?
I believe that the world is a complex network of connections and languages, some decoded and others still mysterious, that influence our lives both directly and indirectly. The sum of these influences modulates the state of perception and the relationship we have with the world, both on an individual and collective level. Every interaction, every signal we receive from the surrounding environment contributes to shaping our experience of reality, creating an intricate web of meanings that guides us in our daily lives. Deconstructing reality, whether physical or immaterial, as occurs in the virtual world, represents for me a way to access that thin and insubstantial layer that unveils our being and the profound nature of the world around us. This deconstruction allows for the stratification and reorganization of complex information that often subliminally guides our understanding and our relationship with existence. In my artistic work, I pay particular attention to the relationship that human beings have with their surrounding environment, whether natural, social, or virtual. This exploration is rooted in an existential interest in the study of cosmic geometry. Natural architecture thus becomes a lens through which to investigate the interconnectedness of all things, revealing universal patterns that are reflected both in natural structures and in systems created by humans. My work draws inspiration from two main sources: on one side, natural architecture, which I consider the primary matrix of existence, with its harmonious forms and its stratifications that reflect a cosmic order; on the other, virtual language, which represents the fragmentation and recomposition of information in the digital age. My paintings embody this duality: on one side, they are inspired by the study of natural geometry, the stratification of terrains, satellite visions, and the observation of microorganisms; on the other, by digital pixels, fragmented information, and the implications of a digital identity and an ephemeral body. This tension between the natural and the digital, between the tangible and the ephemeral, is also reflected in my technique. Although I use a highly manual and analog approach, the results somehow evoke the aesthetics of digital products. This choice is not random but aims to evoke the idea that, despite the advent of technology and the virtual, our roots remain deeply anchored in a physical and tangible world. My work thus becomes a bridge between these two worlds, a place of dialogue between the memory of the ancient and the reality of the contemporary, where every fragment, every mark, contributes to a broader and more complex narrative.
4. Can you describe the ritualistic process of cutting and rearranging photographs in your work? How do you decide on the new arrangement of the fragments?
My work begins with an extensive phase of project-based research, during which I take photographs that serve as the foundation for my creations. Whether they are portraits, images of the sky, or segments of satellite maps, my aim is to transcend the initial form to create new artifacts. These fragments are reorganized into new perceptions of the world, depicting imaginary architectures, inner landscapes, and portraits that go beyond the boundaries of the body. The fragments, arranged in novel chromatic combinations, form an intricate mosaic suspended on pins, giving the work a sculptural quality and a highly three-dimensional aspect. Light and shadows also play a crucial role, modulating and transforming the piece depending on the environment in which it is placed. Each series follows a different conceptual basis, tied to the philosophical studies and themes I wish to explore at that time. For this reason, each series produces entirely different patterns and arrangements, while maintaining the same technical matrix with multiple variations. Whether the fragment is sewn, suspended, or elevated, it remains a constant feature. The fundamental steps in creating my work include photographic and project research, cutting, dividing chromatic patterns that, like tiny pigments, create color gradients, and the assembly, which often follows an initial plan but is also driven by the spontaneity of the moment, much like in painting. My work is characterized by a continuous transformation, where the aesthetic is nourished by a natural artificiality. Through this, I explore the complex human condition and the ongoing need to capture specific forms of existence. This mosaic-inspired grammar creates a sensory dissociation between the semantics of the image and its perceptual essence, legitimizing and acknowledging the possibility of an ancestral thought. In this context, I feel the need to employ a qualitative language of the world, deliberately detached from any verbal production, which characterizes the daily human experience.
5. In your works, you aim to create a “new vision of the world.” How do you think the public responds to this vision, and what kind of dialogue do you hope to establish with your viewers?
Art, to me, represents a medium capable of connecting the tangible world with that of sensitive thought. My intent is to build a bridge between these dimensions, raising profound questions about our nature—both individually and collectively—and our relationship with the environment. My works are conceived as meditative devices, designed to encourage the viewer to engage in careful and deep reflection, in contrast to the superficial and fleeting gaze fostered by our contemporary technological world. My goal is to guide the observer beyond the confines of everyday thought patterns, opening up space for a new vision of the world. This "new vision of the world" involves leaving behind comfort zones and predefined thought processes, encouraging the emergence of questions that can spark, even in subtle ways, significant change. My works are designed to be experienced on multiple perceptual levels, and their full understanding occurs in person, where the viewer is invited to engage in active perceptual involvement. The three-dimensionality of my creations compels the observer to move physically through the space, exploring different angles and distances to continuously discover new perspectives. This approach requires both a comprehensive and detailed view—a kind of macrocosmic observation that invites focus on individual fragments to grasp the figurative or abstract matrix of the work. I consistently employ this dynamic vision system, where the viewer becomes an active participant in the work, helping to create a synesthetic experience. In certain specific projects, I have included additional elements to intensify this approach. For example, in the series "La Natura Inquieta," I introduced an analog movement of the tiles, which, when stimulated by an external air source, emulate the natural movement of leaves or blades of grass swaying in the wind. In the series "Florilegio," an installation composed of 48 portraits transformed into floral buds, I added different natural essences to each piece to also stimulate the olfactory dimension. In the work "Cosmogonia," fragments of over 70 portraits, arranged in color gradients, evoke a stellar explosion, thus narrating the birth of the universe and the cycle of life. Each fragment is sewn onto a cotton canvas, imitating the texture of animal skin, creating a link between the materiality of the body and the vastness of the cosmos.
