Agathodaimon

About

March 15, 2025, at 6:00 PM
Via Campane
Borgo Casamale, Somma Vesuviana 80049 (NA)

The association Tramandars is pleased to announce the presentation of the site-specific artwork "Agathodaimon, a contemporary guardian", the result of artist Marco Acri’s participation in the first edition of Art Summit Vesuvio Contemporary Residency.

The inspiration for the artwork comes from a visit to the excavations of Pompeii, a place where time seems to have crystallized, preserving testimonies of life, emotions, and memory. Specifically, the idea is linked to the vision of a fresco depicting a snake—Agathodaimon—on the outer wall of a domus, a symbol of protection and integrity of the home. Through the language of contemporary art, Acri’s work reflects on these suggestions and on the ability of places to preserve and transmit traces of human presence over the centuries. Through a dual channel of interaction, the artwork becomes a communicative intermediary capable of delivering a message to the community, which, through this symbol, can perceive itself as an heir in spreading the meaning embedded in the installation. In this way, "the Good Spirit" (Agathodaimon) will serve as both symbolic narrative and shared value.

The artwork, designed for Borgo Casamale in Somma Vesuviana, draws from a series by the artist titled "Don’t call it Post-it", which explores the concept of fragmenting an idea or image within a grid, simplifying and minimizing the subject as if they were individual pixels.

This site-specific work sparks a dialogue between contemporary art and historical heritage, weaving connections and a sense of belonging to Borgo Casamale, particularly in remembrance of Nino D’Ambrosio, whose thoughts and works left a significant contribution to local culture.

The inauguration ceremony will feature institutional participation, the presence of lawyer Carmine Ardolino—representative of the Superintendence—a presentation by the artist, an intervention by engineer Arcangelo Rianna, and a moment of sharing with the community.

The realization of the artwork has been made possible thanks to the support of Ansaldo Trasporti S.p.A., Main Partner of the Art Summit - Vesuvio Contemporary Residency project, as well as the synergistic collaboration and constant support of the association "Amici del Casamale" and the availability and participation of Carla D’Ambrosio.

Marco Acri

Naples, 1986. Works between Naples and Milan.

After studying Furniture Design at the Politecnico di Milano and Architecture at the University Federico II of Naples, Acri spent two years in Vienna working with BEHF Architects. In 2016, he founded his own architecture studio based in Naples.

He began painting at the age of 16 as a self-taught artist. Despite not having pursued formal artistic studies, his professional background has allowed him to develop his artistic vision and research. His practical knowledge of color, shape, and light, especially when placed in context, has enabled him to channel his multifaceted exploration of lived experience, memory, and perception through a hyper-precise aesthetic.

The reassuring modular repetition, the grid of patterns, is a means through which Acri can explore different depths of meaning, offering the same possibility to the observer. Acri’s paintings are not only exquisite and pleasing to look at; there is much more for those who venture beyond the surface. They represent a light, gentle, and non-threatening political statement that invites us to grasp the beauty of nature, challenge dominant narratives in fairy tales, and capture the small things or thoughts that make the ordinary extraordinary.

Nino D’Ambrosio

Nino D’Ambrosio, a free thinker, married to Giuseppina Russo, owner of Palazzo Casillo.
Naples, 1940 – Somma Vesuviana, 2011.

He never sought to make a living from art but rather saw it as a great tool for life. His nature enabled him to move effortlessly from anthropology to history. From a young age, he expressed a great passion for different forms of art, inspired by the local family environment in which he grew up. After an apprenticeship with master Torraga, he continued his passion for painting as a self-taught artist and also took pleasure in sculpture, despite losing the use of two fingers on his left hand at a young age due to an unexploded ordnance he accidentally found.

Nicknamed "O’ professor", he was always dedicated to the community, helping children with educational activities and introducing them to the visual arts in his famous "thinking space".

After getting married, he worked for Telecom and actively participated in local politics, making a significant intellectual contribution both within the Pro Loco and in organizing the Festa delle Lucerne. He meticulously wrote numerous historical and touristic texts about Somma Vesuviana.

Some of his works are now preserved in the Church of San Domenico in Somma Vesuviana and at the Convent of the Trinitarian Fathers in Borgo Casamale.

Art Summit - Vesuvio Contemporary Residency

An artist residency project by Tramandars, launched in 2023, which invites artists to discover, rediscover, and narrate the Somma-Vesuvio volcanic complex through the languages and sensitivities of contemporary art, fostering interaction between artists, communities, and the territory.