_Katabasis_
The project follows a visual narrative starting from the verses of Dino Campana, contained in the manuscript of the _Canti Orfici_. The natural element becomes a thinking subject, reflecting in the first person on the processes it undergoes, whether environmental or artificial interventions. A bunch of grapes can thus become a sacrificial element fueled by "the wind that plays in the valley" or by "human work on the liquid element." In this transition, there will be a thinking consciousness that, as a result of the sacrifice, analyzes its transformations: "the telluric waves," "the victory of the element," "nature that leads," up to the thermodynamic and cellular changes. The result is a visual instruction for catabasis, to reflect on the sacrifice of natural elements and pass it on to living beings, just as the Orphic tablets have been passed down for centuries in the eponymous rites.
Matteo Urbani
Matteo Urbani (Teramo, 1987) lives and works in Milan. While professionally employed as an engineer, he is pursuing research in the field of visual arts at Via Farini Workspaces. After graduating in Energy and Nuclear Engineering in 2013, he studied at the Accademia di Brera, obtaining a BA in painting, where he developed his artistic background in the field of art installations.
In recent years, he has begun experimenting with digital mediums, video installations, environmental scans, and AI visual imagery research. He is currently focusing his experimentation on the theme of complex ecosystems and their relationships with anthropic dynamics. Matteo is involved in numerous projects in collaboration with multidisciplinary artists.