Isabella Nicastro

Mi Chiamo

A cropped cobalt blue graffiti phrase shows the hint of the words “mi chiamo”, translating to “I am called,”. A common phrase of introducing one’s name, I introduce the viewer into the body of work while still reminding them of the way in which I am ostracizing them. I do not fluently speak Italian nor the regional Calabrian dialect, so this cropping of the phrase is the embodiment of confusion or even frustration that I often feel when I fail to understand the complexities of Italian phrases and dialogue beyond my own comprehension of the language.

“Inspired by a trip to my grandparents’ town of origin in the south of Italy, this body of work seeks to investigate the intersection between my southern Italian ancestral heritage and my upbringing in Canada. A fragmented sense of identity commonly found in second and third generation citizens is dissected through the lens of personal experience. Close-cropped, abnormal compositions juxtapose conventional European methods of oil painting, displacing the viewer from the entire context of the world in which they are immersed, echoing the manner in which I am disconnected from the complete context of my heritage. These works present covert emblems embedded throughout, inquiring how factors such as religion, superstition, and cultural practices have dispersed through my familial lineage by inviting the viewer to observe complexities surrounding spiritual beliefs and the intangible.”