BEAUTY KNOWS NO PAIN a fascinating lie

My research project focuses on the chronic illness Endometriosis and the consequences to the people affected by it. Endometriosis is a common condition where cells similar to the lining of the uterus are found in other parts of the body outside of the uterus. It causes life-changing symptoms including chronic pain and fertility difficulties. Awareness of endometriosis is low, even among healthcare providers.This condition affects 1 in 10 women, so why do we know so little about it? Prof. Pietro Giulio Signorile, President of Italian Endometriosis Association, calls it a “social condition,” but despite how widespread the condition is, many people find themselves waiting years for a diagnosis and struggling to find support, often being told that their severe period pain is normal. Drawing from my personal journey, Endometriosis can leave individuals feeling "in pieces” due to numerous surgeries, emotional struggles, losses, gaslighting, dealing with gender gap. Through art, I want to share a story that promotes strength, resilience and a sense of community. This creative journey begins with portraits I took of women, gradually moving to abstract forms representing their inner world. The creative research features photographs and mixed media collages based on photos, creating a reflective path that explores chronic pain, isolation, and resilience: making the invisible, visible.

It's a never ending loving story of my family. It is how I add new pieces of memories. One thing my grandmother always said to her five sons: you are the most beautiful flowers in my garden. Three sisters appear in the First photo. The woman on the right is my grandmother. My dad's mom. It was a sunny winter day and these wonderful women were strolling through the streets of Padua (Italy), impeccably dressed. From the need for remembrance; from this phrase; from the intimacy of my family’s hearth, this project was born.

Creating the artworks was both an emotional and healing journey. During the process, I felt a deep connection to my emotions, and translating them into visual form was both challenging and cathartic. There were moments of intense vulnerability, but also a sense of empowerment as I expressed what I often struggle to put into words. The series began as a way to process and cope with my experiences, especially those related to my struggles with endometriosis. It started from a need to externalize the pain, confusion, and resilience I’ve felt. Over time, it evolved into something more a way to connect with others who might be going through similar experiences, offering a visual representation of emotions that are often difficult to articulate. Overall, it was a transformative experience, helping me to make sense of my journey and find peace in the act of creation

My new works speak of a radical change that has not only occurred in my private life but has been reflected above all in my way of conceiving the primary need that I had when I started again with my creative research: to externalize my personal experience with all the series of emotions and deprivations that my disease Endometriosis has led me to live. Starting from the sentence “Although you are literally in a thousand pieces, you can be a masterpiece in another form”, starting from my pieces, I needed to cut, break, fold, glue, color, I needed gestures, signs, strength. So, this new type of research speaks of my “thousands pieces”, of how they must be collected, glued together, held together tightly by courage and resilience. This work also speaks of my first person singular and of the landscapes of my heart.

What is your relationship with yourself and with mirrors? What do you see reflected? How do you recognize your image? Living with a chronic illness (Endometriosis and Adenomiosis) sometimes feels like living a surreal life. That's what I see in the mirror: pieces of someone that I sometimes don't recognize, and at times, I couldn't even recognize myself among my family, who didn’t understand my suffering. I have intimately experienced my existence from the outside, imagining myself as part of a community more similar to me.

Premio ARTE 2005, Milano (ITA) In collaboration with Accademia di Belle Arti, Venezia and ARTE Mondadori BW film

Digital Photo

Digital photo

Premio ARTE 2006, Milano (ITA) In collaboration with Accademia di Belle Arti, Venezia and ARTE Mondadori Cross Over Diapo film to Negative film