For the sixth edition of EDIT Napoli, the publishing and art design fair hosted at the National Archives in Naples from the 11th to 13th of October 2024, the artist Allegra Hicks presents a work inspired by the myth of the siren Parthenope and the egg she laid before dying, hidden – according to legend – in the foundations of Castel dell’Ovo. As part of the EDIT CULT programme, the dispersed exhibitions that bring together historical places in Naples every year with contemporary and international projects through careful curatorial work, Hicks’ work is exhibited in the enchanting Ipogeo dei Cristallini, a place that bears witness to Hellenistic painting and architecture in the heart of the Rione Sanità-Vergini.
“My work aims to represent a dialogue between myth and reality, where the egg becomes a symbol of creation and protection,” says Hicks. “The idea that an egg can preserve another egg evokes the fragility of beauty and the cycle of life, reflecting on how history and mythology are intertwined in a single poetic narrative, typical of the city of Naples.”
Fascinated by the thin line between myth and reality that characterises Naples, Hicks wanted to reinterpret the myth that tells the origins of the city itself. Her creation consists of a protective egg, made of bronze crochet, which encloses within it a smaller egg, made of dark red resin. The latter innermost element of the work symbolises Naples itself: the dark red colour represents not only the city, but also blood, life and passion. The outer part in bronze crochet, again oval in shape, acts as a protective net, evoking a symbolic representation of creation and gestation, emphasising the themes of protection and birth. The Ipogeo dei Cristallini, with its mysterious and historical aura, offers the ideal context for hosting this work. Here, Hicks’ egg will be visible inside an ancient tomb, inviting visitors to reflect on the fragility of beauty and the need for its protection.
For the sixth edition of EDIT Napoli, the publishing and art design fair hosted at the National Archives in Naples from the 11th to 13th of October 2024, the artist Allegra Hicks presents a work inspired by the myth of the siren Parthenope and the egg she laid before dying, hidden – according to legend – in the foundations of Castel dell’Ovo. As part of the EDIT CULT programme, the dispersed exhibitions that bring together historical places in Naples every year with contemporary and international projects through careful curatorial work, Hicks’ work is exhibited in the enchanting Ipogeo dei Cristallini, a place that bears witness to Hellenistic painting and architecture in the heart of the Rione Sanità-Vergini.
“My work aims to represent a dialogue between myth and reality, where the egg becomes a symbol of creation and protection,” says Hicks. “The idea that an egg can preserve another egg evokes the fragility of beauty and the cycle of life, reflecting on how history and mythology are intertwined in a single poetic narrative, typical of the city of Naples.”
Fascinated by the thin line between myth and reality that characterises Naples, Hicks wanted to reinterpret the myth that tells the origins of the city itself. Her creation consists of a protective egg, made of bronze crochet, which encloses within it a smaller egg, made of dark red resin. The latter innermost element of the work symbolises Naples itself: the dark red colour represents not only the city, but also blood, life and passion. The outer part in bronze crochet, again oval in shape, acts as a protective net, evoking a symbolic representation of creation and gestation, emphasising the themes of protection and birth. The Ipogeo dei Cristallini, with its mysterious and historical aura, offers the ideal context for hosting this work. Here, Hicks’ egg will be visible inside an ancient tomb, inviting visitors to reflect on the fragility of beauty and the need for its protection.