Histoire et destin - New Men’s Land (Star) 2016

Gian Maria Tosatti made this installation, Histoire et destin - New Men’s Land (Star), by carefully draping a yellow fabric over two concrete blocks to create contrasting forms against the earthy surroundings. I can only imagine what it must have been like to bring this into being; the planning, the meticulous construction, the sheer physical labour involved. What do you do with this odd couple of sunny yellow juxtaposed with nature's greens and browns? Do you see the world as full of unexpected connections, like the way the fabric catches the light, or the way the structure casts its shadow on the ground? I get a kind of post-apocalyptic vibe mixed with the hope of new beginnings. I think Tosatti is asking us to consider what we build, both physically and metaphorically, and what kind of world we want to leave behind. It's a question that keeps artists going, like a game of telephone across time.