The Art of Becoming: Reflections on Divenire

To wither is not to end, but to pause—a necessary space of introspection before the next continuation. Divenire explores metamorphosis as an endless cycle, where every point of fading contains the quiet preparation for a new emergence.

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Deeply tied to the fluid transformations of Ovid’s mythologies, Divenire traces a journey of continuous internal shifts across six intimate panels. Through the quiet dialogue of Eastern ink and Western watercolour, the series captures the volatile, beautiful space between who we were and what we are becoming.

The Concept: A Dialogue of Traditions

The Curation: A Narrative Cycle of Life

Moving the pieces into the gallery space fundamentally altered the nature of the six pieces of work. Under the exhibition lights, the individual panels ceased to be isolated pages and began to converse.

Curated by Tina and Teresa Zurlo, the collection was arranged to guide the viewer through a Z-pattern psychological and physical evolution. As art critic Principe Alfio Borghese observed in his review, the six works encapsulate a complete cycle of life, charting a highly symbolic path:

• Il Risveglio (The Awakening): The collection opens with a woman emerging from an egg, cradled in the middle of autumnal forests, representing the fragile genesis of consciousness.
• De Animalibus: The transformation physically manifests through a hybrid creature—half human and half marine—symbolizing the fluid, sometimes unsettling nature of change.
• Luminescenza: The narrative shifts to an existential struggle, portraying a man searching for light but unable to quite reach it.
• La Riflessione: An underwater encounter between an angel and a man, a striking visual metaphor exploring the balance of light and shadow, the sacred and the mortal.
• La Rinascita di Venere: A powerful moment of rebirth, where the entity emerges renewed from the depths of the previous trials.
• Sfiorire (Decay): The cycle concludes not in tragedy, but in a display of beautiful decay—framing the act of fading as a peaceful, necessary stage of cosmic transition.

The Elemental Philosophy & Critical Reflection

Expanding on this narrative arc, art critic Maestro Mario Salvo highlighted the elemental forces anchoring the collection. He noted that the transformation within these works is driven by all the core elements found in nature: earth, fire, water, and a figurative fire—the internal, spiritual heat that forces a soul to evolve. Maestro Salvo described the series as a beautiful and compelling body of work that successfully balances technical mastery with profound philosophical weight.

Bringing this intimate cycle into the public sphere at Via Margutta allowed the solitary alchemy of the studio to transform into a living, shared conversation. It stands as a testament to the idea that nothing remains static, and that true beauty lives entirely within the transition.

The Audience as a Catalyst

In the studio, creating Divenire was an exercise in silent meditation on the nature of transformation. But an exhibition is inherently social, and I quickly learned that an artist cannot dictate how a work is received. That loss of control is precisely where the magic of the vernissage resides.

The room was dense with people, all carrying an enthusiastic curiosity toward the collection. I found myself in constant dialogue, answering questions about the interplay of ink and watercolour, the Ovidian undercurrents, and the physical process of mark-making. Every visitor brought their own history to the gallery wall. Where I saw an internal psychological shift, others saw freedom, pure beauty, or the raw force of nature.  Everyone had a different favourite piece, often entirely separate from my own. The artwork undergoes its own metamorphosis under the gaze of the audience. The viewer’s interpretation completes the painting, transforming it into something new.

The evening became a shared documentation—a continuous flow of artists, collectors, and curators capturing photos and videos alongside the pieces, capturing a moment where the private became collective.

Divenire: Why the Cycle Remains Unfinished

Witnessing this series on the wall has opened up a quiet desire to step outside familiar boundaries and explore alternative mediums. The title of this exhibition is Divenire—Becoming. Because of this, the final painting, Sfiorire, was never meant to be a closed door.

To decay is not to end; it could simply be a necessary pause for re-evaluation, a quiet space of introspection before the next continuation. Fading does not mean death. Today, as we stand on the brink of eras where technology and Artificial Intelligence can preserve an idea or a personality eternally, we are forced to redefine what ends and what endures. Life does not have to end with us, and neither does this series.

Sfiorire is just another beginning, a quiet preparation for a future emergence. I have chosen to let this work evolve far beyond me. It is still alive, still morphing, and who knows how it will carry on into my next exhibition. The becoming is continuous.