Barione ST 40
Marine sand, sea water, chipboard, screws, vinyl glue cm 123 x 60 x 58
Spazio Murat, Bari
2019

Barione ST 40 is a sculpture that refers to an ancient weapon, the “roman rostrum.” This archaic object placed on the ship’s bow was used to break down the enemy’ ships. Found in the Mediterranean sea, the rostro is the best examples of sea archaeology, witness of the epic battle fought in 241 BC, that ended the First Punic War, between Carthage and Rome.

Barione ST 40 was made during a residency project in Bari (Italy). The sculpture’s starting point it was “Quaranta”, a workshop that involved young artists and was structured around notions such as identity, border and geo-politics, but also lingered over very personal issues like fragility and failure.

The analysis came through the realisation of a dozen sand castles. Their fragility is protected by the bowels of an ancient weapon and endorsed by a legendary symbolism. The latter is connected to the cult of the sea, deeply embedded in Bari’s history, as testified by the oldest city emblem, the Barione, present in the architectural decorations as well as on ancient coins.