Noble Savages

2005 – ongoing   Industrial hemp, textile, stuffing, thread pvc and wood. Various sizes.

The stuffed busts which I have hand sewn from hemp textiles are linked to the bioregion where I work in Piedmont, Italy. Historically, communities processed industrial hemp to provide textiles, fuel, food and building materials in the Canavese Valley. With the advent of petrochemical products the use of hemp diminished worldwide.
The durable and expressive qualities of this hand woven material, combined with its role in the regions history and potential as an economic and environmental resource, touches upon the craft of living close to the land. I have memorialized this slow and enduring pace by the process of both hand sewing and casting the busts in bronze.


“Marguerite Kahrl at Alberto Peola”

Flash Art
Elisabetta Tolosano
2006