The Volée Installation Reminds Us That Nature Predates Man

Among Woodland, the art and design exhibition at Teatro dei Ragazzi in Turin, was Serena Confalonieri’s site-specific installation, Volée. The project, which was on display during the Nitto ATP Finals tennis tournament, was created for LEA (Lead Exclusive Area), an a space for welcoming international guests at the event. The concept – that nature pre-exists the work of man on Earth – was simple enough, but the execution appears to be anything but. The ultimate goal of the project was to offer visitors the chance to experience a return to nature. A place where humans are free from the effects of civilization and can live a life guided by instincts.

Volée brought this concept to life in LEA’s foyer space. The floral composition, created using both man-made and natural materials, is an explosion of color and texture. Confalonieri used polyurethane panels for the reception, benches, and tables, all milled with a vertical motif reminiscent of classic columns. Meanwhile, dried plants and flowers sprout from these elements in shades of lilac, purple, orange, yellow, and white. This vegetation takes over the polyurethane-built architecture of the installation, creating a sense of being somewhere between fiction and reality.

In its final form, Confalonieri’s Volée was full of lightness and grace. its soft, curved shapes alive and harmonious – just like the movements of the tennis players on the court.

To learn more visit serenaconfalonieri.com.

Photography by Serene Eller.