«There are two very strong memories that will stay with me for the rest of my life,» says artist Veronica Barbato (1981, Caserta), «the smell of toxicity and the mattress burned by cigarettes». With these few words, she outlines the scenario of the project Tua sorella (Your sister), the most significant of her life. Tua sorella tells the story of Mary, Veronica’s sister, who took her own life at the age of twenty-three after a period of drug addiction. With extreme delicacy, Barbato explores death, its cruelty, and its pain, seeking an eternal aspect that can give dignity and memory to Mary. «Now Mary is no longer a nobody but the sister of many,» says Veronica, who has brought her image to the walls of cities. The project was born on the streets and has always been exhibited there. «I launched a communication campaign through posters to turn Mary into an icon, testifying to the fundamental role of art in shaping perception. A photographic exhibition in continuous motion.»

Veronica Barbato’s work arises from the intersection of collage, photography, and visual art. Memories, made up of letters, photographs, documents, are manipulated by the artist, who adds vibrant colors, referring to the hallucinogenic effects, and glitter that describe the false illusion of drugs. What Barbato summarizes is a period, the 1980s, characterized by armed struggle and heroin. So that Mary can become the lost sister of a generation.

Veronica Barbato (1981, Caserta) is a Neapolitan artist living in Lugano. With a theatrical background that provides her with a performative aspect, another fundamental component of her art is contemporary dance, which has directed her research towards the union of performance and art. She holds a Master’s in Photography with Mustafa Sabbagh, obtained at Spazio Labó in Bologna.

Courtesy & Copyright Veronica Barbato