Annalisa Mercuri
Twelve prints show twelve different ways women have been killed by their loved ones. The methods have been obtained from a document published by ISTAT “Analisi delle sentenze di Femminicidio Ministero di Giustizia” (1). The content of the print has been based on a document published by CAD Brescia, an association aiding women in difficult situations (2). The print is the denounce of violence presented by a woman to the local police force. Each detail of the work wants to highlight the fragility of women that ask for help. The prints have been mounted on cork panels with pins, to reveal the fragility of the work. A transposition of the fragilities of women requesting for help. The title of the work is composed by two parts “CHIEDE” (she asks) and “vano” (vain), to highlight the uselessness of the request. The prints have been made using the Japanese technique of mokuhanga.
Each print, after having been made, has been killed by different methods: burned, drowned, cut into pieces, stabbed, hit with a hammer, disfigured with caustic soda, shot, beaten by hands, strangled, poisoned, run over with a car, and beaten with a wooden stick.
BURNED
The print has been burned using a match. The fire has been extinguished only after half of the Japanese paper disappeared.
DROWNED
The print has been submerged in water for a long time. Despite having used watercolour, the ink did not dissolve. The worn look of the print is due to the drying of the work.
CUT INTO PIECES
The print has been ripped in pieces.
STABBED
The press was stabbed using a large kitchen knife.
POISONED
The print has been treated with an extract from the tree Taxus Baccata, known as the death tree. This print should not be touched with bare hands, due to its potential danger.
RUN OVER WITH A CAR
The print has been run over with a car.
BEATEN WITH A WOODEN STICK
The print has been beaten with a wood.
SHOT
The print has been shot at the Verona shooting club T.N.S. The artist thanks Davide and all the T.N.S. staff. which allowed the realization of this work.
BEATEN
The print has beaten by hands.
HIT WITH A HAMMER
The print has been hit with an hammer.
DISFIGURED WITH CAUSTIC SODA
The print has been disfigured with caustic soda.
STRANGLED
The print has been strangled.
These works have been exhibited during the following exhibitions: PERSOnAM (StudioLab, Pavona di Castel Gandolfo, Rome) and 1522 (multiple locations: StudioLab 138, Pavona di Castel Gandolfo; Rocca Colonna, Castelnuovo di Porto; Chiesa di San Severo al Pendino, Napoli).