Bodies in Alliance: Marinella Senatore

Marinella Senatore is a multidisciplinary artist with an special interest on establishing temporary communities where people with common and diverse bonds come together. Simultaneously, as she contemplates the significance of connection and coexistence within these communities, Senatore crafts pieces utilizing diverse mediums such as paper, paint, fabrics and light. Her artworks frequently draw inspiration from dance, popular culture, music and activism.

The heterogeneous nature of Marinella Senatore's work is partly shaped by her background: after completing studies at the Academy of Arts in Naples and training as a violinist at the Conservatorio di Avellino, she moved to Rome, where she pursued a career as a director of photography at the Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia. During her formative years, Senatore actively engaged in feminist and ecological activism, and these concerns are evident in her artistic output whether through the incorporation of recycled and low-consumption materials or the integration of images and slogans directly inspired by these social struggles. Rooted in her background and activism, Senatore’s artistic practice aligns with the tradition of participatory art. In her case it is characterized by a vibrant and colorful spirit, emphasizing the exploration of identity through both individual and collective bodies.

It is not surprising, therefore, that this exhibition is titled Bodies in Alliance, a phrase derived from a text by feminist philosopher Judith Butler. In this text, the author explains how the alliance among minorities or vulnerable bodies becomes a subversive act with transformative potential to respond to the precarious conditions of our time. Senatore takes these ideas and puts them into practice by fostering the creation of communities, providing them with a space for dialogue and encounters, without giving participants strict instructions. She carefully establishes the conditions for the meeting, but it is the participants who decide the script of the performance and the initial cultural framework.

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