The origins of Sant’Angelo Muxaro run back to ancient times. The archaeological relics that have been discovered reveal human settlements in prehistoric, Hellenistic and Arabian periods.
Baratto & Mouravas found fertile ground for their research in this location, and during the site visit for Una Boccata d’Arte, they had the opportunity to explore the link between past and present, a recurrent theme in their artistic practice which they define as Archaeodreaming, and which explores the relationships between archaeology, dreams and mythology. From their engagement with the village, a universe of references, forms and archetypes emerged, culminating in the design of a spiral-shaped seat alongside the entrance to the primary school.
The organic form of the spiral encourages reflection on the cyclic patterns of time and of human experiences, representing nature’s lush growth and its perpetual motion.
A visual and sensorial short circuit is created as Baratto & Mouravas employ, as the support for their seat, a loose interpretation of an amphora with cusped handles, observed at the Agrigento Archaeological Museum and originating from the cave Grotta Capreria, dating back to the 11th century B.C. These amphorae, originally used for rituals and funerary purposes, become structural elements, giving the objects new meanings, underlining the passage of time and the continuity of cultural expressions.
Legame immisurabile (Unmeasurable bond) translates a relationship of constant exchange between counteracting conditions and forces, actions and reactions, that control the cosmos. The spiral as a form of infinite expansion, and the fragility of clay, become a pillar for new thoughts. If it be true that “form follows function”, the work becomes not only a place of rest but also an opportunity for the community to gather and celebrate its own history and identity. It is an invitation for participation, a meeting place where people can share dreams, ideas and hopes for the future, creating an emotional and spiritual connection with the places and cultures of the past.

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Artwork:
01. Nicola Baratto & Yiannis Mouravas, Legame immisurabile, 2024. Clay, ionized iron, wood, 44 x 600 x 540 cm approx.
Piazza Aldo Moro (behind the Church)

Nicola Baratto (Montebelluna, Italy 1989) and Yiannis Mouravas (Athens, Greece, 1986) are former research fellows of the Dirty Art Department at the Sandberg Instituut, Amsterdam, Netherlands. Their practice is based on Archaeodreaming, an experimental research method they developed that explores history, mythology, and the overlays between archaeology and dreaming. By creating connections between archaic and contemporary cultures, they develop poetic and nonlinear narrative forms, intertwining field and archival research with unconscious experiences. Their works unfold through multimedia installations, films, artist books, and sculptures. They have received international grants such as the Mondriaan Fonds, the Stimuleringsfonds, and the overseas residency grant from the XII edition of the Italian Council award. Recent exhibitions include A Rave Down Below at Elevsis, European Capital of Culture, Eleusis (GR, 2023); 2012 Never Happened at In Debt, Amsterdam (NL, 2023); and Prospects and Concepts at Art Rotterdam (NL, 2023).