Tomás Saraceno, Life(s) of Webs, arachnophobias, arachnophilias, and other stories. Courtesy the artist. Photography by Studio Tomás Saraceno. 

Together with The National Museums of Matera, we are delighted to present Life(s) of Webs, arachnophobias, arachnophilias, and other stories by Tomás Saraceno, a permanent installation at Former Hospital of San Rocco, inside the Church of Cristo Flagellato, from 25th November 2023.

The artwork serves as the opening to collaborative research that fits within this syncretic, Arachnophilia project, culminating with the launch of an artist book which will bring together a diverse network of material from philosophers, artists, writers and arachnologists.

The Saraceno’s artwork—a Catholic confessional box—is found, in which spider/webs emerge in the place of the priest, with the intention to share their ancestral wisdom. It’s a call to humanity, one to listen closely to: “we have lived on Earth for more than 380 million years, while most of you humans, merely 200 thousand years… we invertebrates represent 95% of all animals on planet Earth, yet we are threatened by extinction, something that would endanger all lives on earth. We ask you to care for the rights of our webs of life. Can we join forces and weave together ways of living, with lifestyles that do not affect climates, for more just, eco-social inter- intra-species societies for all?”

ℹ️ The Former San Rocco Hospital and the Church of Cristo Flagellato are open to visitors every day, except Wednesday mornings, from 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. (last admission at 7:00 p.m.) with a €5 ticket, to which various ministerial discounts apply.