The Myth of the CiucciaNebbia

Pollution is often portrayed as an external matter to human bodies and culture. Gaia D'Arrigo’s project embodies the phenomenon of air pollution as CiucciaNebbia (meaning 'fog-sucker'), a mythical creature that walks the streets of Milan. Its body is made of fine toxic particles that settle on the facade of buildings. These layers of smog act as a living archive of Milan’s industrial history, along with the ideologies and lifestyle of its inhabitants. Interacting in mutual transformations with pollution, the Milanese are hybrid subjects too. The multimedia installation challenges the boundaries between bodies and environments, questioning whether pollution is an external evil entity or a product of internalised cultural myths.