LENTO project
I had the privilege of being the guest artist for the inaugural edition of LENTO (https://www.instagram.com/lento.story), a multidisciplinary event curated by architect Lucia Filippini in collaboration with the renowned Japanese ceramist Kazunori Hamana (https://www.instagram.com/kazunorihamana/). Hamana-san, who has lived and worked in his studio in Chiba for three decades, envisions a future where people embrace an ‘urban exodus`, returning to rural roots. Reflecting this vision, he is transforming some old 空き家 (akiya - abandoned houses) he recently purchased into art residencies.
His renovation approach is deeply rooted in the philosophy of reusing materials from the buildings themselves, respecting each piece as a valuable resource and discovering the profound beauty in aged materials, which he considers irreplaceable and unique.
For this project, I was asked to create two on-site installations in two different 古民家 (kominka - traditional Japanese folk houses) : the “White Roof Kominka” and the “Black Kominka.”
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In the White Roof Kominka I stretched a 10-meter-long sheet of paper across the main beam, evoking a flow through the space. Painting it on site, I followed the daylight hours (as the house had no electricity yet), accelerating my work as dusk approached and visibility waned. This constraint reminded me of how easily we disconnect from natural rhythms, so I embraced it, seeing the limitation as a way to merge more deeply with the space and my vision for it. The work itself draws on Hamana’s approach and the spirit of these old buildings. One character in the artwork is breaking objects, while another uses broken fragments to create anew—a reminder that sometimes, breaking is a way to be reborn. As Hamana-san shared, this in some occasions might apply to his ceramics, which can crack during firing, but also to these Akiya, which come back to life through his intervention.
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In the Black Kominka, I used washi paper and ink to embody the house’s spirit. Installed in a room with a large rear window, the piece interacts with natural light, appearing and fading throughout the day. The character depicted represents a process of “letting go” aligning with the project’s overarching theme of ‘regeneration’. I completed the installation using materials I found in the house—an old wooden stick for support of the paper, pieces of paper fallen from the wall, and a necklace placed beneath the floating artwork.
Beyond the installations, I contributed by handwriting the menu for the lunch served by guest chefs Paco La Monica and Niki Hattori, and adding personal touches to the fanzine given to each participant. Special thanks to all who participated, to the team (Alessio, Paco, Niki, Tania, Nils, Lino), to Lucia for the invitation, and to Kazunori for his hospitality and vision in allowing me to reimagine his Akiya.
The event was recorded as part of a documentary to be presented at the Architecture Venice Biennale 2025.







