Caterina Morigi and Gabriele Ermini

The research developed by Gabriele Ermini and Caterina Morigi for the second edition of Atelier Elpis explores the relationship between archaeological heritage and its survival in the contemporary world.

While dialogue with local communities is at the heart of Fondazione Elpis’s mission, in the Italian context this inevitably involves engaging with the archaeological landscape. In the second edition of Atelier Elpis, the artists-in-residence conducted research focused on the archaeological cultural landscape and the complex relationship between the present and its past, subsequently creating a series of new works.

In this sense, Milan represents a special case within the Italian context: compared to other major cities, the persistence of the ancient world appears less visible, even though it is very much present. The archaeological past often lies hidden, resurfacing only sporadically in everyday urban life. Yet it continues to engage with the city’s contemporary fabric: beneath the historic center, in the soil strata, and in the collections of the city’s museums. To develop their research, in fact, the artists have engaged with various local institutions, including the Archaeological Museum of Milan, the Department of Archaeology at the Catholic University, and the Rovati Foundation, which, while focusing primarily on Etruscan artifacts, offers interesting insights into the legacy and transmission of the ancient world.