2000 Excavations in the Imperial Forums, ‘Giganti. Arte contemporanea nei Fori Imperiali’, Rome
Materials: fabric, roses, incense
Dimensions: m 5 x 6 x h 5
As part of a collective show set up in the impressive spaces of the Imperial Forums, Maria Dompè continues her work inspired by the struggle of the Tibetans against the Chinese occupation.
After the work dedicated to Ngawang Sangdrol, the artist’s thoughts return anew to, above all, women: “ani-la” is in fact a transliteration of the Tibetan word that means “nun-nuns” and that for Dompè becomes the symbol of the interior energy of women, as the voice that it claims the rights of a whole community. This ‘voicing’ was embodied in the singing of Flavia Altieri on the inauguration of the show.
In the area that came to light by the recent archaeological excavations, the space chosen for the installation is special because it was used in the past as the cellar of the adjacent convent of the Clarisse, so a place already marked by the life of a religious community.
The reference to Tibetan culture is immediately understandable through the perfume of incense and in the fabrics spread out on the ruins, a visually strong intervention but at the same time, delicate and respectful of the pre-existing architectural features. The colours of the cloth, exalted by the counterpoint of the roses inserted into the fabric, are typical of Tibetan monastic robes.
Laura Iamurri