Res humanae

2018, environmental dimensions, WOODEN CHAIRS, STEEL CABLES, SOLAR LED LAMPS, ringroad BRIDGE, BIELLA

Site-responsive work lasting four months, built on the bridge of the Biella ring road, as an invitation to reflect on the delicate issue of suicides, a tragic and recurring reality in the Biella area.

The fifty empty chairs hanging from the deck serve as a metaphor for human beings and their absence in the very moment they become empty. The project was conceived as a reflection on the value of life and the choices we make every day, denouncing the inaction of institutions in the face of widespread distress and the limited media attention given to listening and support centers.

The installation could be experienced both by day and by night. With darkness, the chairs lit up with LEDs, transforming into countless small fireflies or stars, suspended in midair between the earth and the bridge.

Res Humane divided public opinion, sparking an unprecedented debate in the community and filling local newspapers for months, breaking the silence around a still too solid taboo.

Following the intervention, the bridge was made secure: pedestrian access was prohibited, barriers were installed, and several cameras and alarm sirens were placed.