LOVELY-RATZ

Bio
Linda Pietrobelli (2001) and Ambra Zamengo (2002) are currently pursuing their Bachelor's degree in Multimedia Arts at IUAV University of Venice. In 2023, they formed the collective “LOVELY-RATZ”, born from the desire to work together, engaging with the dimension of “the other” and considering it as necessary for the development of thought.

Statement
Bringing together performance and photography in the analysis of human dynamics, with a particular focus on interpersonal relationships and roles in society, our artistic research focuses on individual communication modes, privileging women and queer perspectives. Often, other people become the focal point of the creative process and the work itself.
We constantly work to create spaces for dialogue and reflection, stimulating an empathetic connection. In the harmonious union of aesthetics and conceptual research, our artistic practice shapes visual and theoretical connections through performative practices and bodily gestures. Through performance, we explore how the body interacts with the surrounding space, reinterpreting and shaping the environment through the body, and through its perception.
Body and garment merge in a close connection: clothes become a bearer of identity, both individual and cultural, interacting in a profound relationship that combines the concepts of fashion and performance. This approach allows us to explore and communicate the complex dynamics of human relationships, places, individuals, and communities.
In the pursuit of a pre-practical human and emotional dialogue, we are interested in better understanding the human being in all its facets, through a psychological and anthropological approach to understanding other cultures. Hence, our interest in connecting territory, nature, and the human subject through expressive means such as photography, performance, and other artistic channels.

Lookalikes

performance

photography

2023 - ongoing

Group exhibithion “supportovivo”, Spazio Punch, Venice 2024
Lookalikes is a performative practice where unknown men (he/him pronouns) of different ages are invited to confront concepts of identity, authenticity, and resemblance.
Resemblance can be interpreted in various ways and can be influenced by a range of factors, including physical, gestural, vocal, and behavioral characteristics. The practice analyzes the subjective interpretation of the men involved, who are asked a question that admits only two possible answers:

"Linda or Ambra, who do you resemble?"

Following their response, they are asked to assume the identity of the chosen person, creating an identity transfer through the act of wearing the clothes that person has on. This gesture explores the possibility of resembling a stranger, reflecting on the meaning of "wearing someone else's shoes," on the elements that constitute the identity of two different people, and what determines their resemblance.
The practice takes place inside the homes of the men involved: they explore the identity of another person while maintaining their own, remaining in their personal, intimate, and private space, which is made accessible to two strangers. Through a self-certification document confirming the participation of over 20 men, it is possible to retrieve their personal data, further breaking the boundary that identifies them as strangers.
In the context of the performance, two people with different physical and ethnic characteristics offer themselves as the object of choice. This initiates a dialogue about the nature of choice itself, highlighting the complexity of visual and cultural identity, how people can perceive each other, and the criteria that define resemblance.

print on photographic paper 20 x 27 cm / print on A4 sheets