I sacri fratelli

The two warriors, armed with spears, are mirror images of each other, their vigorous and athletic bodies sculpted in clay, then in polychrome terracotta with bronze patinas, and their gleaming helmets and shields finished with gold leaf. The artist captures the mutual protection that binds them, though their natures are not identical but complementary. Conceived on the same night but separately by their mother Leda, Pollux, the son of Zeus, is immortal, while Castor, the son of her husband Tyndareus, is not. Nevertheless, they are inseparable and engaged in grand enterprises such as the expedition with the Argonauts and the founding of the city of Dioscuria. They also rescue the wounded on the battlefield or at sea, an element from which they seem to emerge; a portion of the ocean solidified into a blue parallelepiped, created with plaster, colour, and resin. Driven by grief after his brother’s death, Pollux pleads with Zeus to relinquish his immortality. This act sparks contemplation on the nature of self and belonging, the power of empathy, and the shared experiences that define our lives. The work garnered the prestigious Lorenzo il Magnifico award at the 14th Florence Biennale in 2023.