"Invisible Forces no. 2 / Forze Invisibili Vuoto 0.2", a sculpture by Jacopo Mandich, the Italian master, was installed on Solnechnaya Street near the office of Magnezit Group in Satka.

We would like to remind you that the Italian sculptor worked on his new magnesite work last year as part of the Sobranie Fund’s art residence. The work was created with the support of the Magnezit Group and it involved "Bit Morion", the Satka company.

"Invisible Forces" is a project that the sculptor dreamed of. In order to implement the project, Jacopo returned to our city four years after the first acquaintance with Satka and magnesite, unusual material for sculpture. Here he created such a large object for the first time. In one of his interviews Jacopo pointed out that he “could never perform such a project in Italy, where one cannot get a 12 tons stone”. The experiment with a large format was not the only challenge for him:

“If we compare magnesite with marble, then I prefer working with the first one. Unlike marble, which is cut in pieces, magnesite has different shapes and structures. Despite its refractory nature, it is very fragile. Therefore, the creation of large sculptures from it means new opportunities for the mineral. I consider it important to show stone’s invisible power. The main idea of the project is to convey the idea that there are a lot of things around us that we do not see and do not feel,” the artist explained.

The sculpture on Solnechnaya Street is an example of invisible forces and feelings. This is one of three works created within the project. "Invisible Forces No. 2" is a three meter block of magnesite, which reflects the natural beauty of the stone, the history of the Earth and the time contained in its “pattern”, in each of its veins. And the huge hole is an association with a dolmen, an ancient cult structure. This is how the author made the philosophical implication of an invisible force that connects people with nature, the skies and the Earth. It is a kind of portal, illuminated by a LED strip lights, through which one can observe the landscape. It is not only a thin lamp that accentuates the texture and changes the color of the stone. It attracts attention, people think of the author’s intention and want to have a closer look, give it a thought.

There are two more art objects created by the artist, inspired by Satka and magnesite: "Crack" is a monumental work made of a large piece of magnesite with the destruction element in the center, illuminated by the blue color, and "Creatures / Walking Stones", an installation of large stones of dolomite and magnesite, which involve iron rods and resemble fantastic animals on their paws. It is a reference to the ability of stones to come to life and move. Several small works in the same style were made by Jacopo from periclase and you can see them in the Magnezite Museum.

Photo by Vasily Maksimov and Ksenia Maksimova.