On the occasion of Art Basel, Paola Lenti Miami presents a reflection on matter and its expressive languages through an installation featuring the textural garments of Sicilian artist Marella Ferrera, in dialogue with the Sciara surfaces she designed for Paola Lenti.
SIKELIA showcases a precious collection of unique works inspired by Sicily—created by the artist between 1993 and 2000 and preserved in her historical archive at Palazzo Biscari in Catania.
The garments recount the design outcome of Marella Ferrera’s research into hemp, ceramic, copper, coloured glass, terracotta and coral—materials embroidered onto textile backings in an unconventional and artistic manner.
Marella Ferrera’s unconventional path, which began in the world of haute couture, expanded to embrace architecture in 2015 with the creation of Sciara, a project developed in collaboration with Paola Lenti. Sciara is the Sicilian term describing the volcanic deposits that form on the surface or along the flanks of lava flows.
The Sciara walls on display reflect different chromatic and compositional approaches. Each wall explores how the dimension, arrangement, and tonalities of the tiles can generate endlessly customizable surfaces, evoking the expressive force of a painted canvas.
The exhibition is an invitation to celebrate the creative dialogue between Paola Lenti and Marella Ferrera, ten years of research and experimentation on matter and colour.