Nina Monne, a multimedia artist, was born in 1972 in Irgoli, Sardinia. There is a privileged relationship between the Sardinians and the sacred. Custodians of magical formulas from ancient times, they have been called upon to protect against evil with words (verbos), herbs, minerals, and amulets. Even today, ancient traditions persist in the region, and many people turn to the supernatural and the remedies of folk medicine. In Sardinia, until 60 years ago, there was no illness that could not also be treated with magical practices, and no work began without making the sign of the cross.

It is thus difficult to resist the archaic and special charm of memory, made up of essential gestures passed down through the ages and meticulous work that shapes, communicates, and emphasizes. History and memory are evoked in the suggestion of a fold, the emotion of a reflection, and the power of an expressive and liberating stitch.

The material is familiar, and the techniques to master it have been part of Nina Monne’s heritage since childhood. Thus, the figurative modeling of hearts is merely an extension, refinement, and application of habitual skills and competencies. The challenge was to make the material durable, overcome the perishability of the elements, crystallize the shapes, and preserve them in precious, tin-soldered cases.