‘Horror Vacui’, Matteo Zamagni
Matteo Zamagni’s Horror Vacui juxtaposes the Earth’s untouched lands with human beings’ artificial settlements. Using a back-and-forth of computer-aided designs, real images and digital reconstructions of forests, mountains landscapes and overpopulated metropolitan areas, Horror Vacui culminates in an explosion, that sees nature prevailing over constructions before it all retracts to an abstract, primordial-looking shape.
The title of the film is derived from Latin ‘fear of empty space’ or ‘fear of emptiness’. It is a term that describes an artistic obsession of filling every surface without leaving any empty space. This concept, according to Zamagni, “relates to the frenetic expansion and hyper-development currently undertaken by humankind.” Simultaneously, it references Buddhist philosophy as the way in which human beings are limited in grasping the ‘true nature of things and events’ known to the Buddhists as Emptiness.
About Matteo Zamagni
Matteo Zamagni is a new media artist based in London. He expresses his ideas through video direction, real-time and offline graphics, and interactive installations. The root of his projects comes from ongoing research into the connections between spirituality and sciences and the boundaries between the physical and the invisible dimensions. He observes the macro and micro scales of nature and speculates about its invisible flows, as well as observing the conscious and subconscious mind. He also explores altered states of mind through meditation and sense hacking, breaking down the widespread concept of ”reality”.
The film Horror Vacui juxtaposes the Earth’s untouched lands and human beings’ artificial settlements. Using a back-and-forth of computer-aided designs, real images, and digital reconstructions of forests, mountains landscapes, and overpopulated metropolitan areas, Horror Vacui culminates in an explosion, that sees nature prevailing over constructions before it all retracts to an abstract, primordial-looking shape. Horror Vacui, the title of the film, is derived from Latin ‘fear of empty space’ or ‘fear of emptiness’. It is a term that describes an artistic obsession with filling every surface without leaving any empty space. This concept relates to the frenetic expansion and hyper-development currently undertaken by humankind. Simultaneously, it references Buddhist philosophy as the way in which human beings are limited in grasping the ‘true nature of things and events’ known to the Buddhists as Emptiness.
A word from the artist:
This moment marks a crucial pivoting point for multiple species existence on Earth and runway climate catastrophe prevention. On one hand, it could be a catalyst for a change and a required collective action of the economic, political, and societal driving forces. On the other, it could be another failed attempt to prevent the catastrophe due to the commonly proven inability of our leaders to unite in a time of crisis. My short film ‘Horror Vacui’ conveys the current sense of urgency and its open ending reflects this pivoting moment in which a systemic shift of the current capitalist model is necessary in order to contain the already disastrous changes in our climate.
I have lived in what once was the biggest community of artists in Europe for more than eight years. This community is currently being swept away by a wave of hyper-gentrification (possibly the fastest ‘regeneration’ London has witnessed). It ultimately deculturalised the area and displaced the vibrant community that it was. Living with so many artists, creatives, and unusual people inspired me countless times and showed me the benefits of living in a community for an individual, a group, and an area.
A UN report last year confirmed that even if current emissions reduction pledges under the Paris Agreement were fulfilled the world would still be headed for a catastrophic 3.2° increase this century. The levels of ambitions must be tripled to achieve 2°C, and increased more than fivefold for 1.5°.” The threat is tangible, more and more people are being directly affected by the climate crisis, especially those who are the least privileged. The call to action is urgent: every person on Earth must commit and come together as species in order to mitigate the catastrophes unfolding. The global leaders, the rich and powerful, must lead by example; be the drivers that make way for new green industries. They need to instill hope and catalyze the change we need for the future of mankind and the multitude of species that are now at risk of extinction due to those industries, now outdated and unsustainable.
This is the crucial moment where humanity has the opportunity to change and to leave behind its individualistic desires driven by greed and selfishness. We must act as one in the face of the threat, the systems we created that caused this in the first place, and at last, move towards a resilient, more united, equal, kind, and conscious species.
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