Crystal Seals

Neglected Buildings as Artworks

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Marble powder and resin. 
54x28x14 cm
27x28x15 cm.
 
“Crystal Seals, Neglected Buildings as Artworks” is a project that aims to change the perception of urban decay of the city of Palermo in Sicily.

Through this project, I assign the status and value of artworks to historic buildings in severe states of neglect. In July 2016, Palazzo Costantino (XVII sec.) became an artwork, and in September 2016 Palazzo Oneto di Sperlinga (XVIII sec.) received the same designation.

The project aims to conceptually transform Palermo, the Italian city with the highest number of ruined historic palaces (around 1,400), into a city of artworks. By changing the way these abandoned buildings are perceived, the project hopes to encourage their preservation and protection as works of art, even when they have been neglected by public institutions.

Each “Crystal Seal” sculpture is connected to an abandoned building and accompanied by a certificate of authenticity declaring the building a work of art. The sculpture is both symbolically and materially linked to the architecture it represents.

The geometry of each Seal follows the structural parameters of the building. The crystals correspond to the total square meters of the property, while the overall shape of the sculpture is determined by the cadastral footprint of the palace.