Joanna Piotrowska in: Formafantasma. Oltre Terra

Oltre Terra, Formafantasma’s ongoing project and traveling exhibition, explores the history, ecology, and global dynamics of wool extraction and production. It goes further than the simple definition of wool as material, to look at it within a much broader ecology. Wool is the entry point for delving into the intricate interactions and interdependencies within an ecosystem. By looking at the history of sheep domestication, wool production, and material culture, Oltre Terra unravels the complexities of the cooperative symbiosis between animals, humans, and the environment. The exhibition explores this very intimate, yet complex, bond between humans and animals, emphasizing the impact they have on one another.

At the heart of the exhibition is the video Tactile Afferents, created by artist Joanna Piotrowska and Formafantasma, co-produced by Nasjonalmuseet and Fondazione In Between Art Film. The film takes a unique approach to the exhibition’s themes, focusing on the sense of touch to explore co-domestication. It presents this concept both as an expression of interspecies tenderness and love, and as a form of violence.