DUPLEX NATURA – Cornus sanguinea
floral print design and embroidery on chenille 100% polyester Dino Zoli Textile, 2019
Elena Hamerski resident atrist curated by Nadia Stefanel
At the exhibition of the finalists of the Arteam Cup 2018 (National competition sponsored by the Arteam Cultural Association), hosted at the headquarters of the Dino Zoli Foundation in May last year, the Zoli family invited the artist Elena Hamerski to attend a Residency at the headquarters in Forlì, aimed at the conception of a work of art to be created from fabrics, production machinery (frames, printers) and the technological know-how of Dino Zoli Textile.
The Residency began with a period of study and research with the creative and technological team of the company. Started in February 2019, it reached its concrete conclusion in April 2019 with the creation of a large work, a diptych: “Duplex Natura– Cornus sanguinea“, a floral print obtained using the Dino Zoli Textile fabrics
THE ARTIST
The project was born from the artist’s book “Piante medicinali e velenose della flora italiana” [Medicinal and poisonous plants of the Italian flora], made by Elena Hamerski in 2016. An archive that includes 271 drawings in watercolour pastels, linseed oil and coal, dedicated to the Italian flora: medicinal plants and poisonous plants, often fatal and curative at the same time, that emphasize the substantially ambiguous character of the natural element. The artist, after a period of reflection and discussion with Monica and Marco Zoli, and curator Nadia Stefanel, chose one of these designs to start the transformation process.
During the residency Elena came into contact with the company Dino Zoli Textile, accompanied by individuals who are committed every day to the design and manufacture of textile products.
Together they chose to use the digital transfer printing process on polyester fabrics.
The artist adapted, for implementation on paper and then on fabric, the design of the Cornus sanguinea, chosen due to its colours and the fullness of its flowers, and the graphics team of Dino Zoli Textile prepared it to be then transferred onto the fabric with the press printing process, made possible by an exclusive high-definition machine.
After having carried out more tests for the choice of fabric to be used as a basis a jacquard chenille in 100% polyester, DADDY item, was opted for since its three-dimensional structure would help to give depth and movement to Elena’s drawing.
The artist, during her creative process, finally decided to intervene directly on the print with hand embroidery, a technique that she used for the first time.
The result of Dino Zoli Textile’s print was handed over to Elena for her intervention with cotton thread, thus creating a double design of the same plant.
Duplex Nature is a double in a double. The nature drawn by the artist has a double meaning that is intrinsic: it is a medicinal and poisonous plant of the Italian flora, therefore based on the quantity in which it is administered it can be either curative or lethal. The design was then transferred onto fabric. This printed fabric was finally embroidered, thus creating a double design of the same plant. A double in the content, a double in the drawing (in the technique), and finally a double in the form.
