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Fractured Dreams, Radiant Warnings: EMA Confronts a Fragile Future with Art [1]

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Date: 2024-12-30

Chris Gallagher

Contributor

In April of 2023, Enrico Muratore Aprosio, also known as EMA, chose Times Square to display a series of vibrant, neon animals across one of New York City’s famous billboards. EMA’s “Radioactive Beasts” would grab any audience’s attention, inviting contemplation on environmental fragility and its vital connection to the rest of the world.

The series was at least partly inspired by George Orwell’s Animal Farm and was backed by the Nobel Peace Prize-winning ICAN campaign. With luminous, surreal animals, EMA challenges human folly in eerie silence.

A History of Challenging Art, Compiled

EMA has always encouraged viewers to grapple with profound questions and difficult subjects which otherwise go ignored. Whether contemplating themes of existence, identity, or fate, EMA’s art will always explore something challenging to confront. Recently, the artist published an art book containing the “Radioactive Beasts” displayed in Times Square in 2023. The book, entitled Promemoria (Sending Out an SOS), is EMA’s synthesis of his years of artistic reflection and advocacy.

Promemoria is an Italian word that can be defined either as a memorandum or as a formal note that records a diplomatic discussion. Art That Offers Historical Insight into Modern Issues In Promemoria, EMA not only provides the reader with access to his various artworks, but offers historical insight into modern anxieties, detailing where his art enters the historical narrative to comment on the issues of today. Amid circumstances that encourage introspection, EMA intends for his art to help readers explore their inner psychology and interpersonal dynamics. As a result, EMA’s work feels especially raw and compelling, sharing his perspectives with a broader audience from his studio in Geneva. Promemoria asks the reader to consider the question of what they choose to remember every day, and what they choose to ignore. Through surreal collages, abstract dreamscapes, and hauntingly beautiful animals, EMA paints a picture of humanity’s past, present, and future in the midst of challenges and changes. Connecting the Past and Present: Promemoria’s Roots

EMA’s artistic journey is deeply influenced by his years of work promoting unity and resilience. Before creating Promemoria, he collaborated with musicians, dancers, journalists, and artists on initiatives aimed at fostering connection and empowerment in global communities facing significant challenges.

This background shapes EMA’s artistry in fundamental ways. His work is not merely a critique of the present, it is an unearthing of the past that invites viewers to reconsider where they have come from and where they might be headed. His lifelong mission for peace is deeply present in Promemoria, a tome dedicated to its pursuit. The book is infused with the urgency of a man who has witnessed the worst which humanity has to offer yet holds fast to an unwavering belief in humanity’s potential to change.

Promemoriaand Hope for the Future

Above all, EMA’s Promemoria is a book which begs the reader to remember what matters most to themselves and to their families. The artworks within serve as a call for the preservation of peace, humanity, and dignity in the face of adversity. While its pages may not offer easy answers, they provide a fresh perspective on the world, inspiring readers to embrace their dreams and take ownership of building a brighter future.

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[1] Url: https://www.usatoday.com/story/special/contributor-content/2024/12/30/fractured-dreams-radiant-warnings-ema-confronts-a-fragile-future-with-art/77323393007/

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