Marco De Sanctis Le Piangenti

Marco De Sanctis’ works are not only to be looked at: they are to be experienced, to be expected and, why not, to be interpreted as an alchemical ritual. ‘Le Piangenti’, in fact, is a tribute to the ancient figures of the prefiche, the women who wept at funerals to collectively represent mourning.

De Sanctis’ sculptures and works on paper dialogue with nature in a process that seems to challenge time and the very concept of art.

THE WORKS OF MARCO DE SANCTIS

Marco De Sanctis, Les pleureuses (the Weepers), Les Pleureurs (The Weepers)
2023-24 bronze dust, iper-saturated mineral-salt solution, mixed bronze patinas on paper, 79 x110 cm.

Marco De Sanctis’ works are not only to be looked at: they are to be experienced, to be expected and, why not, to be interpreted as an alchemical ritual. ‘Le Piangenti’, in fact, is a tribute to the ancient figures of the prefiche, the women who wept at funerals to collectively represent mourning.

De Sanctis’ sculptures and works on paper dialogue with nature in a process that seems to challenge time and the very concept of art.

THE WORKS OF MARCO DE SANCTIS

Marco De Sanctis’ sculptures from the “Les Pleureuses” series combine classical and natural elements: casts of fragments of classical statues are modified with agave leaves and other natural materials that, through the action of rain and metal oxides, generate drippings similar to verdigris tears. A powerful example is the sculpture ‘La Pleureuse (The Sweeper)’ that recalls the famous Laocoon, but with a surprising transformation: agave leaves planted on the forehead and copper tears that seem to cry silent emotions.

And then there is the series on paper with clouds drawn by the rain itself, thanks to a support treated with salts and copper oxides. Here, the artist relies on atmospheric agents as if they were real co-authors of his works.
An art that changes, evolves and depends on the environment, as if nature were reclaiming its creative space.

Who is Marco De Sanctis: between classicism and innovation

Marco De Sanctis is not an artist who is content to simply create: his approach is almost philosophical.
Born in 1980, his career has developed between installations, sculpture and works on paper, with a constant interest in the relationship between nature, time and creation. His art is a continuous reflection on how much the environment and natural processes can become an integral part of the final result.

De Sanctis uses techniques on the borderline between the natural and the artificial. His works are plural, questioning the object, time, place, and reveal themselves to the public only gradually, as a work that needs to be experienced before it can be understood. He does not seek the political message as his is a poetics of essence, which invites the viewer to ask questions and find his own answers.

Marco De Sanctis, La Pleureuse (The Weeper), bronze sculpture with natural green copper patina caused by weather agents (rain), 170 (on basement) x 30 x 25 evolving sculpture, 1/1. Courtesy of the artist.

Where to see the works: the exhibition ‘Le Piangenti’ in Lodi

For those wishing to immerse themselves in this unique experience, the exhibition ‘Le Piangenti’ is hosted by Platea | Palazzo Galeano in Lodi from 25 January to 16 March 2025.
The works on paper dedicated to clouds are exhibited in the window of Palazzo Galeano in Corso Umberto, while the evocative sculpture ‘La Pleureuse (The Sweeper)’ is located in the courtyard of the Laudense Library, Via Fanfulla 2.

The exhibition is part of Platea’s research path, which in recent years has involved artists such as Alberonero, Fabio Roncato and Mariateresa Sartori in a reflection on the interaction between nature and artistic creation. The opening on 25 January at 8 pm will be a special event with the musical performance ‘Cheung’ by American Ghost Bird, presented by the Associazione Argine. A mix of art, sound and atmosphere that will make the experience even more immersive.

If you love contemporary art that is not afraid to get its hands dirty (or in this case, get wet in the rain), you cannot miss it!