Giorgio Emanuele Mameli

Everything begins with the high tide, the relentless flow of the water, the movement of the waves and the moon that governs the seas. For some this may be a simple occurrence, one they barely notice, but Giorgio Emanuele Mameli is able to empathise with it and to see it. He observes, analyses and lives alongside the waves of the sea. He follows their movements and tries to discover what they silently and unstoppably tell.

Mameli spends much of his time in Sardinia, where he works as an underwater fisherman. During his dives he has always been a careful observer of the environment around him, and he has noticed how, especially after storms, the waves wash various materials ashore: mostly small pieces of driftwood, but also pebbles, sea sponges and shells, which eventually come to rest among the rocks. He transforms these seemingly humble objects, which nonetheless carry a long history, having made a journey that none of us can any longer trace. He gathers these materials to create his personal marine visions.

His early work featured a neutral background on which he created images of fish and marine worlds, while later he enriched the whole with colour, creating a fantastical and welcoming world. Today he is experimenting in various directions, pursuing this passion for art that serves as a link between his love of underwater sport and his taste for creative expression. Each of his works is a unique piece, impossible to replicate, which makes us dream of the story behind the primary materials used to make it.