Federico and Matteo Masciocchi (Cittiglio, October 28, 1996) blend naturalistic observation with audiovisual research. Trained at the Brera Academy in New Technologies in Art, they explore the animal world, spanning both the contemporary and prehistoric eras. Their practice is rooted in a childhood spent in the woods of the Varese area, where their curiosity about local wildlife evolved into research on the biodiversity of the Insubria region. Through a synthesis of naturalistic rigor and new media, the two artists convey the complexity of the territory, challenging the anthropocentric view of nature.
Nemeton (2023)
This audiovisual project explores the relationship between environment, perception, and symbolism through a contemporary reinterpretation of the Insubria region. The work is divided into four video segments dedicated to local biomes and species, inspired by Celtic mythological references. Although it stems from the observation of fauna, the research unfolds in artificial sets composed of recontextualized natural elements: simulated habitats that do not aim for realism but evoke symbolic and perceptual dimensions. The use of LED lights with saturated colors alters spatial perception, creating suspended, alienating atmospheres. The sound, digitally processed from environmental samples, evokes the Umwelt of the species involved—amphibians, reptiles, and small mammals—chosen for their ecological and symbolic value. By reflecting on the different ways in which life forms inhabit the same space, Nemeton challenges the anthropocentric view of nature, opening to a sensibility beyond the human.
