Gallery Entry
Acqua Madre
By Roxxelli · IT
“ACQUA MADRE” by Daniele Rosselli Synopsis: “Acqua Madre” is a visual and conceptual exploration that examines the divide between myth and socio-urban reality, using the iconic figure of the mermaid as a lens through which to examine the normalisation of the fantastical within a context of profound everyday life and social complexity. Through the fusion of photographic realism and digital fantasy, the project aims to redefine the relationship between the human and the mythological. On the one hand, it normalises the symbolic creature by immersing it in ordinary settings; on the other, it highlights the opposite tendency towards the mythologisation of the contemporary self. The transfer of the mermaid from the majesty of the ocean to the simplicity of a domestic setting creates an intentional rupture: the sacred aura of the myth is deconstructed, made tangible and brought back to a fragile, intimate and profoundly human dimension. In this new context, the mermaid ceases to be an otherworldly entity and becomes a metaphor for diversity, fluid identity and the multicultural coexistence that characterises contemporary urban realities. She is no longer merely a legendary creature, but a symbolic mirror of the multiple identities that inhabit the city and of the narratives—often invisible—that run through it. Project Description: *Acqua Madre* is a visual exploration that challenges the traditional perception of myth, placing the archetypal figure of the mermaid within the harshest and most sober domestic reality. The project was conceived with the aim of exploring the gap between the realm of fantasy and everyday socio-urban life, using the mermaid not as an unattainable creature, but as a lens through which to observe the complexities of contemporary identity. The Story and the Objective: The visual narrative is based on an intentional rupture: the displacement of the mermaid from her natural habitat to the cramped, familiar spaces of a city flat. This act of relocation serves a dual conceptual purpose: - Deconstruction of the Sacred: The mythical aura is stripped of its untouchability. The mermaid becomes tangible, fragile and ‘normal’, forced to navigate her existence between a sink and cupboards full of jars. - A Metaphor for Identity: In this context, the mermaid’s hybrid nature ceases to be a legend and becomes a symbol of diversity and multicultural coexistence. She represents the invisible narratives and fluid identities that populate our cities, often caught between different senses of belonging and the search for a ‘home’ within a complex urban context. The Technique: The decision to create these images using Artificial Intelligence is not purely aesthetic, but serves the project’s message in a profoundly functional way. AI enables the fusion of photographic realism and digital imagination mentioned in the text. The technique serves to make the impossible credible: the image possesses the grain, lighting and details (such as the imperfections in the tiles or the texture of the tail) typical of documentary or archive photography. This ‘false realism’ compels the viewer to accept the scene as plausible, perfectly realising the concept of the normalisation of the fantastical. Here, AI acts as a tool for creating an alternative historical memory, where myth and everyday reality are no longer separate worlds, but coexist within the same physical and temporal space, suggesting that the sighting of the mermaid is not a dream, but a physical and real presence, captured in a moment of quiet everyday life.