Vincenzo Fiore Marrese

Lithium

Abstract

A fake Lithium logo hangs on the wall of an auto repair shop. Lithium is crucial for technology. What are the social challenges of lithium mining?

Which elements are in the objects around you?

The extraction of some essential elements involves ecological and human rights problems.

I took the element lithium as a prominent notable example. I painted the word of the element like a product logo to connect with the idea of the production chain where commodities come from.

I then used no heavy rectangular support for the painting since this element is known as the lightest metal in the world.

The painting support is stretchable and appears misshapen, suggesting a strained relationship with the site.

I later expanded this piece with a video artwork called “Full.” The video was presented for Latitudes, a festival in Bolivia, a country known for lithium mining.