Always a source of great fascination and curiosity for man, the volcano has historically occupied a first-rate place in mythology as well. Just think of Hephaestus, son of the Greek gods Zeus and Hera, creator of the most magnificent objects used by the divinities and of the most powerful weapons that were wielded by heroes. In the collective imagination of us Italians, the eruption that most arouses curiosity and interest is undoubtedly the one that destroyed the city of Pompeii in 79 AD. A dramatic and shocking natural phenomenon, with a tragic but at the same time vital dynamic. Vital like the broom to which Giacomo Leopardi dedicates one of his last poems: it is precisely the sight of Vesuvius, in fact, that induces the poet to reflect on the evanescence of earthly glories and, on the contrary, on the tenacity of this plant capable of stubbornly resisting even to the most disastrous natural events. Power, drama, rebirth: these are all elements that accompany the great scientific value also the transport and expressive force of the art world. We talked about this captivating ambivalence of the "volcano" phenomenon with an INGV researcher who over the years has become passionate about the relationship between art and science, Micol Todesco.
Does the sometimes "poetic" charm of the volcano also affect those who scientifically study it "in prose"?
Absolutely yes. The eruption of Pompeii, in particular, continues to exert its particular fascination also and above all on the community of volcanologists who watch and study it from a scientific point of view. The main objective of the experts' work is to reconstruct the complex dynamics of the eruptive phases and their impact on the inhabited area. In the specific case of Pompeii, however, the patiently accumulated scientific knowledge is accompanied by deep emotion for an event that is masterfully representative of the relationship between the formidable forces that shape the planet and the communities of people who populate it. This is why last autumn we enjoyed interacting with the MADRE, the contemporary art museum in Naples, where the exhibition was set up Pompeii @ Mother. Archaeological Matter: Collections, curated by Massimo Osanna, Director General of the Archaeological Park of Pompeii, and Andrea Viliani, Director General of the MADRE (Donnaregina Art Museum of Naples). By introducing short scientific contents in an artistic and archaeological context, we enjoyed blurring the lines between art, science and history. The exposure Visions of the Earth – Seismographic and volcanological art and visual culture, curated by Fabiola Di Maggio, anthropologist of images and PhD in Cultural Visual and Museum Studies at the University of Palermo, is another example of this happy union between art and science.
What does it mean today to live with a volcano and how can art influence this coexistence?
Living with a volcano undoubtedly means dealing with a complex condition, based on the equally complex relationship that binds volcanoes to the communities that live on their slopes: coming to terms not only with a beautiful and fertile territory, but also with everything that presence of the volcano implies, risks included. Coexistence is possible but we need a good awareness of the impact that the volcano can have on the territory and of the way in which our choices and our behavior contribute to increasing or decreasing the risks we run. In this sense, the interaction between art and science becomes particularly important because it can help build the imagination around the volcano by influencing the perception that citizens have of the volcano itself and its impact on the territory.
What would you recommend to those who want an "unusual" approach to the world of Earth sciences?
One of the most emblematic collections in this sense is certainly Terrae Motus, established by the will of the Neapolitan art gallery owner Lucio Amelio after the earthquake in Irpinia which devastated large areas of southern Italy on 23 November 1980. The Collection consists of over 70 works by contemporary artists from all over the world: from Andy Warhol to Joseph Beuys, from Mimmo Paladino to Keith Haring. Exhibited numerous times around the world, "Terrae Motus" was created to demonstrate that even a disaster can be transformed, in the name of solidarity, into a movement of renewal. The Collection was donated by Amelio to the Royal Palace of Caserta in 1994, after his death, as per his will. Since 2016 it has been exhibited in the Grand Gallery of the royal palace.
In the picture: Pierre-Jacques Volaire, Eruption of Vesuvius from the Ponte della Maddalena, 1782 © ArtStack