PORTFOLIO SCULPTURE Andrea Ballestra

ARTIST STATEMENT I appreciate the beauty in abandoned places, forgotten things, and memories that slowly fade away. There's something special about the nostalgia triggered by a familiar scent or image. My art aims to capture these fleeting, contemporary moments and make them last forever. Our experiences, emotions, and struggles define us, but soon, our very existence will be a thing of the past. What remains of us is what we create—the only proof that we were here. Covered in dust, our creations become the lasting legacy of our existence, a testament to the journey we've undertaken. By not imposing a rigid aesthetic or perspective, granting the chosen material a certain freedom to express itself, the artwork is the result of a well-balanced combined effort of my idea and the possibility of the tangible world. Moreover, as I aim to invite viewers to create their unique connections with my artwork, I deliberately incorporate a level of abstraction and ambiguity. Similar to encountering an ancient artifact, I intentionally introduce an element of mystery, prompting observers to ponder and speculate about the true essence of the object before them. By fostering this sense of curiosity, I encourage a personal journey of interpretation, allowing each viewer to day-dream their own narrative around the piece.