GAVI.- Opening on May 27th, "Fondazione La Raia - art culture territory" is presenting a new site-specific work, "Inventory," produced in collaboration with sculptor and ceramist artist Tami Izko (Cochabamba, Bolivia, 1984) devoted to the study, promotion and understanding of one of the planet's most fundamental principles: biodiversity.

Nestled amidst the picturesque hills of Gavi in the Piedmont region of Italy, the 180-hectare estate encompasses a quaint 12-room boutique called "Locanda La Raia," an outdoor art foundation known as "Fondazione La Raia", and a Demeter-certified biodynamic winery where sustainability, biodiversity, and authentic Italian hospitality converge harmoniously.Fondazione La Raia celebrates its tenth-year anniversary by unveiling a brand-new site-specific project by artist Tami Izko (Cochabamba, Bolivia, 1984).

Fondazione La Raia has been inviting artists from various disciplines since its establishment to foster critical reflections on the Gavi landscape. Renowned artists like Remo Salvadori from Italy, Koo Jeong A from Korea, and Michael Beutler from Germany have contributed to this endeavor.

The resulting artworks exhibited and permanently installed in La Raia's vineyards and fields, explore the interconnectedness between the land, nature, and art. With a mission to combine art, culture, and the local territory, the Fondazione aims to protect and preserve the natural environment. Its thematic pursuits align with the trajectory followed by the Rossi Cairo family and La Raia Estate over the past two decades.

Tami Izko's exhibition titled "Inventory" will showcase a collection of thirty-two small sculptures made from colored glazed porcelain and gres. These artworks serve as reimagined representations of various components found in La Raia's remarkable plant world, encompassing vine trunks, lake reeds, pinecones, walnut shells, acorns, grapes, shells, shrubs, as well as incorporating elements from the farm such as shoe soles, plastic cables, and workwear.

Tami Izko explains: "An inventory serves as a compilation of encounters, a record of discoveries. Similar to a single dot within La Raia's scenery, the small cavern at the entrance of the farm often goes unnoticed amidst the numerous components of this particular region, within this fragment of the larger area. This unique characteristic of the cave renders it an intriguing space for gathering and contemplation: the surrounding vicinity holds a wealth of information regarding the diverse entities inhabiting this place, the biodiversity of La Raia, and the presence of humans on the property. Unless we take the time to explore these elements, they will remain concealed from our view, overshadowed by the countless pixels forming the overall image of this landscape."

The chosen materials and elements present in this area undergo a transformative journey, disconnecting from their natural origins and evoking a sense of nature's absence. Prior to the creation of each individual piece, a dedicated mold was utilized, filled with liquid porcelain. Additionally, Izko crafted certain pieces entirely by hand using gres, facilitating the definition of sizes and shapes. Following these processes, every sculpture was coated with a palette of pastel-colored glazes and subjected to firing at a temperature of 1250 degrees.

The exhibit will also include a soundtrack composed by sound designer Davide Cairo. Cairo captured various natural sounds from both inside the estate and the surrounding Inventory area, using them to create a musical score. Visitors can access the soundtrack by scanning a QR code and are encouraged to fully engage with the art by standing in front of the cave where it will be displayed. In addition, a video will be presented to showcase Izko's artistic work and the curation process. Both the soundtrack and the video will be accessible as multimedia content on the website of Fondazione La Raia.

Ilaria Bonacossa, Artistic Director of Fondazione La Raia: "Izko focused on the important theme of biodiversity and chose to highlight our ability, always more at risk, to look, observe and systematize what our eyes see. The use of porcelain and the artist’s soft and easygoing touch make this work both poetic and childlike, and carry us to a different space made of fleeting thoughts and vague images. Izko, whose works I saw for the first time at Galleria Viasaterna and that I introduced during Artissima Unplugged in 2021, has always concentrated her search on elusive, sometimes fragile aspects that she gives back to our eyes through the surprise of one of the most ancient and resistant materials in the world.”

Giorgio Rossi Cairo, President of Fondazione La Raia: "During these ten years of activity, inaugurated with project Nel Paesaggio by artist Remo Salvadori, Fondazione La Raia has attracted ever more visitors to the Gavi region, thanks to its continuous high-quality artistic projects. Because of its concept and production, Tami Izko's work will pique the interest of a young audience interested in sustainability, biodiversity, and environmental protection.”