.aesthetic talk
Carlo Lucidi
*Artistic Narratives
written + interview Amanda Mortenson
Carlo Lucidi, renowned curator and artist, continues to bridge contemporary creativity with timeless narratives.
His latest project, Dipingo fiori per non farli morire (I paint flowers so they will not die), celebrates the 70th anniversary of Frida Kahlo’s passing through an extraordinary exhibition of contemporary jewelry.
Opened on November 30, 2024, at Sala Santa Rita in Rome, the showcase features over 300 pieces by 80 international artists. These works, crafted from diverse materials such as gold, ceramics, and recycled metals, reflect themes of resilience, identity, and feminine creativity—key elements of Kahlo’s enduring legacy.
crown
Hanna Katarina Alexandra
necklace
Mercedes Castro Corbat
Amanda Mortenson
Carlo, with “I Paint Flowers So They Will Not Die,” you've curated an all-female lineup of artists in tribute to Frida Kahlo. What drew you to explore femininity and resilience through the medium of contemporary jewelry?
Carlo Lucidi
That's an important question, and I like starting to talk about my project from this perspective. First, a premise about contemporary jewelry: it’s a highly current form of communication and expression, with dynamics all its own, both connected to and distinct from fashion and art. The fact that it’s such a unique phenomenon makes it less subject to market forces and trends, granting it an inherent freedom and openness to engage with the challenges present in both the art world and the world at large.
That said, my desire to promote it and convey its artistic and poetic essence has often come up against the difficulty of making it accessible, of sparking curiosity in potential collectors, art lovers, and the simply intrigued.
Frida Kahlo is an iconic artist, and this year, with the seventy-year anniversary of her passing, I felt a strong urge to delve into the process of narrating her story. Her reflections on impermanence, suffering, and community have always struck and fascinated me deeply. Given her inspirational role in today’s world, it felt necessary to honor her legacy by dedicating this exhibition to female voices. That’s why the open call was exclusively for women and non-binary artists. Of course, this was not without controversy, but life is made of difficult choices. In being misunderstood for these decisions, I felt, in some way, once again in tune with Frida Kahlo.
The pieces on display feel like vessels for stories beyond adornment—a raw, intimate language of survival and beauty. How do you think jewelry can capture these layers in ways traditional art forms might not?
The lack of a strong and structured market behind it is the real struggle of contemporary jewelry. It’s often seen by the visual arts world as a simple, inadequate attempt, by the fine jewelry market as a 'crude' use of rough techniques, and by the fashion world as a curious but ultimately minor accessory, something small and difficult to define commercially, and impossible to brand for the big names. Yet, this inadequacy is precisely contemporary jewelry’s greatest strength: a field where exploration happens without rules, free from trends, and as the result of genuine, personal research that doesn’t only exist on an expressive level. That’s true of all art forms. In contemporary jewelry, though, the research also considers wearability—whether it’s possible, practical, or even comfortable for everyday use. The act of creating a piece while imagining it as an artwork frames not just the object itself, but also the act of wearing it as part of the design. It invites the audience not just as observers, but as wearers, or at least as people who wonder what wearing it would feel like. Is it possible? Adequate? Comfortable? This specificity, when applied to themes as powerful as survival and beauty, draws the audience into the same questions raised during creation, placing them in a much more active role compared to most other art forms.
“Frida Kahlo is an iconic artist, and this year, with the seventy-year anniversary of her passing, I felt a strong urge to delve into the process of narrating her story.”
Carlo Lucidi speaks with Amanda Mortenson
LE MILE .Digital
Carlo Lucidi
wearing brooch Anu Kirkinen
brooch
Anu Kirkinen
necklace
Slawa Tchorzewska
Frida Kahlo’s presence looms large in this exhibit. If she could walk through your gallery today, what do you hope she’d feel or recognize in these works?
Frida would see so many women asserting themselves in the art world, building communities, and facing the same questions she grappled with in her own work. She would see her face, her themes, her flowers, the monkeys, the birds, but most importantly, she would recognize through the eyes (or perhaps the hands) of the artists present what she achieved in her life: transforming her suffering into true wonder. I’d hope she would recognize herself in the interpretations these artists have made of her, but even if she didn’t, I would love to hear her dialogue with them. The exchange of human experience would be priceless.
The exhibition touches on the transformative power of art. In a world constantly changing, how do you see the role of contemporary jewelry evolving as a medium for cultural and personal expression?
I believe that personal and cultural expression is crucial, ethically and politically, especially when the world around us seems driven by forces of homogenization, simplifying rather than enriching. Contemporary jewelry, because of its heterogeneity, its transformative nature, and its ability to embody the artist’s expression on the wearer’s body, is a powerful way to resist without weapons. To show one’s individuality is always to enrich the other with questions and the possibility of exchange. In a world as fast-paced as ours, where first impressions seem to matter more than ever, the ability to make a statement through something worn on the body is simply brilliant.
“The act of creating a piece while imagining it as an artwork frames not just the object itself, but also the act of wearing it as part of the design.”
Carlo Lucidi speaks with Amanda Mortenson
LE MILE .Digital
"I Paint Flowers So They Will Not Die"
Location: Sala Santa Rita, Rome
Dates: November 30 – December 4, 2024
More info: culture.roma.it
Over 80 women and non-binary artists from around the world present more than 300 pieces of contemporary jewelry in homage to Frida Kahlo. Organized by the Associazione Metamorfosi and curated by Carlo Lucidi, the exhibition delves into themes of strength, resilience, and feminine identity. Each piece weaves personal expression with Kahlo's reflections on impermanence and renewal. Free admission.