Reading Sculpture as Enchantment and Prayer

Sculpture at UNESCO World Heritage Sites Mantua and Sabbioneta transcends ornamentation, embodying enchantment, prayer, and interactive engagement with the environment. Italo Lanfredini's work, rooted in deep site-specific knowledge, integrates sensory elements—sound, light, shadow—to create a 'graft' that harmonizes with its surroundings. This approach fosters a spiritual connection, blending art and science while addressing life's phases: birth, growth, decadence, and death. Lanfredini's method involves immersive observation, listening, and respect for the site's aura, culminating in works like Arianna’s Labyrinth (1988–89). The study underscores how sculpture can evoke catharsis and harmony through poetic and material interplay.

Lanfredini, I., & Carls, A.-C. (2023). Reading Sculpture as Enchantment and Prayer. World Literature Today, 97(3), 42. https://doi.org/10.1353/wlt.2023.0118