
Le mani che tolgono
Wire netting, plastic chain, acrylic · 2025 · 60 x 110 x 65
The work faithfully depicts the Neapolitan ritual of water, oil, and garlic used to ward off *vermenara* (fear—intense terror) and the evil eye. The artist portrays the climax of the ritual, in which the ailment is attributed to intestinal worms that, when entangled, deprive the subject of serenity and freedom. The figure’s posture mirrors that which the artist assumes during the rituals described: the right hand holds the shirt raised to allow the incarmatrice (healer) to work directly on the skin, while the left hand rests relaxed on the thigh. The torso leans slightly toward the back of the chair, and the head is focused on observing the ritual as it unfolds. Symptoms such as headaches and nausea are represented by the chain, whose entwined form evokes intestinal worms; it starts at the stomach and runs up to the head—a discomfort that will not subside without the prayers and meticulous gestures of the incarmatrice (healer).
