Jeff Iorillo – “As a ‘hyphenated American,’ I'm a Californian with Italian roots. I'm at home in L.A. or San Francisco; I also feel at home in Florence, where I spent my junior year of college, or Naples, where my family originated. For me, unrooted means not stuck, no limits, free to explore–which describes my diverse artistic practice. My work ranges from acrylic on canvas to etching and enamel on aluminum, from minimalist color explorations to bold, dramatic Action Paintings. All connected by a throughline of color and gesture, mass and momentum, which I am delighted to show here at Shatto Gallery.”

 

Carlo Marcucci – “Having lived in Florence, Rome, Atlanta, and Los Angeles, I’ve grown accustomed to blending contrasting lifestyles and cultures. This sense of being unrooted has allowed me to learn, live, and thrive between the old and the modern, mixing tradition with the unconventional, and balancing the weight of the past with the possibilities of reinvention. My transient state reflects in my art, as I cannot settle on one style. I shift from abstract to figurative, from painting to sculpture, from minimalism to intricacy, yet there remains a constant personal essence that ties these disparate styles together.”

 

Luigia Martelloni – “This exhibition explores the profound sense of being in between spaces and the feeling of being foreign everywhere, not only in unfamiliar physical landscapes but also in the shifting terrains of memory, identity, and geography. In a world that is constantly evolving, the notion of “home” becomes fluid, elusive, and at times, unattainable. Through a blend of past and present landscapes—natural, cultural, and psychological—this work delves into the complexities of living in a state of perpetual movement, where boundaries blur and familiar markers dissolve.

 

The exhibition draws from personal memories, inherited histories, and the subtle imprints of nature—both experienced and imagined. The works here reflect the constant negotiation of belonging and estrangement, as the self navigates multiple geographies, always on the cusp of recognition but never fully rooted. The past lingers in echoes, sometimes comforting, sometimes haunting, while the present feels transient, caught between the pulse of now and the reverberations of what once was.

 

Through my work, the audience is invited to reflect on the intricate relationship between memory, place, and identity, and to consider the beauty and sorrow of living between worlds—where every step is a search for meaning, yet every horizon feels distant.

 

This exhibition is a meditation on the experience of being foreign everywhere, of existing without firm ground or clear belonging. It reflects the journey of those who feel adrift—neither anchored to a single place nor defined by one identity. In this state of unrootedness, the boundaries of belonging and alienation dissolve, and what emerges is a sense of freedom that is both liberating and unsettling. Nature, with its ever-changing landscapes, serves as a powerful metaphor for this condition. Like a river that flows without a permanent course, or the wind that knows no borders, this work speaks to the fluidity and expansiveness of the human experience. Like the movement of water, the cycles of growth and decay—they all mirror the flow of identity, memory, and place. In these rhythms, there is a universal freedom that transcends geography or rootedness, a liberation found in the absence of fixed points.

 

To be unrooted is not necessarily to be lost; it is to exist beyond the constraints of conventional belonging, free from the expectations of place or origin. An explorations how the condition of being an outsider can, paradoxically, offer an expansive sense of possibility—a liberation that comes from being untethered, unburdened by the weight of being grounded in one space, one time, or one way of being.

 

Everywhere and nowhere.

 

The past is the present.One of the central themes in my practice is the idea of nature, and for this exhibition, I’ve used nature as a metaphor to describe the complex, often contradictory feeling of being unrooted. In my work, I trace connections between past and present, using fragments of memories and materials to create something new. Through this process, I bring life to the memories that shape me, but I am not nostalgic. The work is not about longing for the past—it’s about finding traces that help me recognize myself in the present.

 

The beauty of creating lies in its power to channel ideas, thoughts and memories into tangible forms, giving them new life. Each piece in this exhibition connects the points of my past to my present, forming a dialogue between the two. There are sections of memory that remain lost, but perhaps what’s left are simple, fragile pieces of paper—seemingly insignificant, but actually embodying the strength of my personal history. These fragments, though delicate, are the lines that chart my journey through the world.

 

During the pandemic, while in isolation, I began working with these paper fragments. Re-discovering pieces of paper, traces that I carried with me since my livings in Italy. It was a kind of meditation, a process of confronting myself and the world we were living in. I didn’t know where it would lead, but something within me urged me to use these fragments to explore both my own identity and the collective experience we were all enduring. This catharsis became a way of engaging with both the past and present, questioning our survival and our place in the world. What if this had been the end of our sources? How would we have survived? This experience redefined me—it made me reconsider my space in the world and the way I connect to it.

 

What emerged was a map, not only of physical spaces, but of my own unrooted existence. It’s a map that navigates memories, materials, lost identities, historical references, and the constant feeling of being an outsider. Though I am unrooted in a physical sense, my connection to the past and present remains. My traces are embedded in the world, through the objects I use, reusable everyday materials I choose, using these materials as relationship that I have with my personal history, connecting within the present time to unify the togetherness telling the story and the process of installation itself. Each element has a purpose, but that purpose is never fixed. It’s a constantly evolving process—like an outsider who knows their presence but is always searching for a ground, always in the process of becoming, as a child of the Universe.

 

This exhibition is a reflection of that ongoing journey—an infinite process that never truly ends.”

 

Bryan Ricci – “Unrooted may carry negative connotations for some, but for me, it represents possibility. Growing up in New York within an Italian family, I felt a deep connection to our rich heritage, especially the culture and history of Naples. Being Italian—specifically Neapolitan—is a source of pride I carry with me every day.As a family, we honored traditions around food, wine, and storytelling. I also developed a deep appreciation for the fashion and artistic legacy of Italy. New York itself was a profound influence on my development as an artist. I studied there and earned my BFA before moving to Los Angeles to start the next chapter of my life, where I completed an MFA.Each place I’ve lived has shaped my art. Last year, I visited Naples for the first time, and it helped me understand the customs my grandparents had passed down—from the food and wine to the stories of the land and its people. I felt an instant connection to a place I had only imagined, vibrant and full of life.I believe my paintings reflect who I am: abstract, much like the way human memory functions. We don’t remember things as clear images but as layered experiences—emotions, sensations, and stories. My work seeks to capture that essence.To me, "unrooted" is a perspective—whether it’s New York, California, or Italy. I carry these places with me into the studio, where they continue to shape and inform my art.”

 

Claudio Santini – “In my personal experience being unrooted has been both a challenging and distressing experience. However, as an artist I’ve always considered it a vital and precious condition because it has forced me to go beyond the boundaries and limits that often derive from being rooted in your own culture, country, as comfort zones.The experience of fitting in the culture of a new country, led me to an initial condition of loneliness due to the need to develop new personal and professional relationships. Retrospectively, it was precisely this initial condition of distress that pushed me to be more centered in myself. As a result, I identified my true sense of purpose and destiny.Moving from Rome, Italy, to Los Angeles, was like taking a leap into the unknown. Being immersed in LA’s urban landscape, and its multicultural population ignited my imagination and my creativity, opening up new forms of expression. Thanks to the practice of meditation, I learned how to follow this path without trying to inhibit it.This has been the most significant change of direction in my life because it has led me to identify the subjects of my work as an artist, and to understand more clearly how to manage my time and life. In my artwork I’m interested in representing a distinctive contemplative and silent mental state that imposes on us the need of slowing down.Being unrooted in my case has generated all of this. Today I have a better vision of the difference that exists between the condition of being uprooted, with its initial state of suffering, and the positive one of being unrooted. The latest has granted me the physical and mental freedom to make me feel at home anywhere in the world.”

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Cynthia Penna – "When asked, 'You live in three such different countries; where do you feel most at ease? Or which one do you consider home?' I proudly reply: Everywhere! 

 

By debunking the negative connotations of the words 'uprooted' or 'displaced,' I strive to reverse their meaning. As someone who is not tied to a specific place, I feel rooted everywhere and, therefore, a "citizen of the world."

 

Let's try to reverse the theme of the 2024 Venice Biennale, entitled Foreigners Everywhere, and reframe it with an opposing notion: 'Rooted Everywhere.' This idea implies a deep, profound acceptance of diversity and the realities of others.

 

We need to redefine the terms 'welcome' and 'acceptance' to reflect the curiosity to explore diversity, even when it is not a part of our heritage. I believe art can work this magic as a form of exploration and challenge.

 

The 'roots' tied to a specific place, country, or nation can become a 'comfort zone,' preventing us from exploring the unknown. Sometimes, they may even turn into 'chains'—social or behavioral obligations that undermine our true identity. Art’s role is to break free from these chains, liberating thought and guiding it toward the discovery of new worlds and experiences.

 

The concepts of being 'rooted' or 'unrooted' should not be confined to a physical place. For some, roots represent a sense of belonging to a social complex defined by race, religion, or rules. For others, it signifies the opposite: the act of stepping out to meet the unknown with an open mind, ready to explore new possibilities and realities.

 

The ability to internalize and make an external, unfamiliar, and 'alien' reality our own can become an opportunity for growth and development. This extra 'atout' shapes an inner identity that is difficult to shake. In this sense, art stands as one of the most advanced human capacities for exploration and research.

 

This exhibition, intentionally titled Unrooted, aims to explore the languages, vocabularies, and experiences of those who live constantly connected and favorably engaged with different and diverse realities. It celebrates the stories of those who have found their identity in the infinite possibilities of exploring the unknown and feeling part of it. It is the experience of a humanity not burdened by uprooting from a place, but, rather, one that is fully satisfied with feeling rooted and identified in every place on the planet.

 

Art allows both the journey into the unknown and the exploration of other worlds. Art needs neither roots nor stability because art is magic and can fulfill dreams."