Although unable to uproot the beautiful surrounding landscape, the continuous lacerating motion of the claw leaves furrows on the concrete as if it is seeking to sculpt a new identity within La Residencia’s beautiful gardens.
It is not lost on the viewer that when put to another use, the ancient olive groves that surround La Residencia would be at risk from this machine, which has now been made powerless by the artist.
The art installation will be available to view by guests and visitors alike, from 5 May until the end of October 2023
Arcangelo Sassolino
IDENTITY AND SOCIETY: YOAN CAPOTE AT GRAND HOTEL TIMEO AND VILLA SANT’ANDREA, SICILY
High up in the Taormina Hills, Grand Hotel Timeo, A Belmond Hotel offers a front row on the eternal island’s beauty. Here, artist Yoan Capote installs a selection of sculptures, including handcuffs encircling an olive tree, entitled “Stress”, “Self- portrait”, “Speechless”, “On our shoulders”, “Deriva”, and “Urban Nature”.
These will be showcased throughout the hotel’s expansive gardens overlooking the force of nature that is Mount Etna volcano. In this environment, it’s impossible not to feel the full creative and destructive forces at play. These works represent acts of resistance, moments where human instinct is to revolt in the face of neglect or domination by global forces.
On the beautiful shores of Taormina Mare, Villa Sant’Andrea, A Belmond Hotel, will display Yoan Capote’s “Family Portrait (installation), an ode to the artist’s own heritage. Hailing from Cuba, he portrays the sea as a force of both connection and isolation – a means of escape but also a barrier to do so.
The work, consisting of mirrors framed that encase and reflect the private Bay’s unique marina landscape, as the fragments bounce off the beautiful sea bed, the reflections intertwine with the pristine nature, opening up questions of identity and belonging.
The work also alludes to the song ‘Foto de familia’ by Carlos Varela, one of the most emblematic songs for Yoan Capote’s generation in Cuba, which bravely reminds the viewer of the many different connotations and sentiments evoked by the sea.
It is a painful reminder that the sea – a symbol of joy, beauty and calm for many – is also a place of tragedy, loss and despair. Viewers will be encouraged to feel compassion and empathy when contemplating the powerful work.
The art installation will be available to view by guests and visitors alike, from 12 May until the end of October 2023 at Villa Sant’Andrea, and until 7 January 2024 at Grand Hotel Timeo.
