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
By combining performance and photography in the analysis of human dynamics—with a particular focus on interpersonal relationships and social roles—their artistic research seeks to privilege queer and transfeminist perspectives, placing people at the center of both the artistic project and the work itself. They intertwine aesthetics and conceptual inquiry to create spaces for dialogue and reflection, fostering empathetic connections.
Their artistic practice builds visual and theoretical connections through performative practices and bodily gestures: through these, they explore how the body interacts with its surrounding space, reinterpreting and shaping the environment through itself and its own perception.
In the pursuit of a pre-practical emotional dialogue, their interest lies in understanding relational dynamics through a psychological and anthropological approach, which allows them to explore and communicate the complexities of places, individuals, and communities. From this arises their interest in connecting territory, nature, and people through expressive means such as photography, performance, and other artistic media.

Ti prometto un miracolo

Ti prometto un miracolo (I promise you a miracle) is a photographic journey that begins in the transitional, impersonal spaces of modern life — Gare du Nord and Zaventem Airport in Brussels — where a simple phrase appears amid the crowds: “I promise you a miracle.” This message, fragile and hopeful, becomes the starting point for a visual exploration of Europe’s contradictions, where the dream of unity often dissolves into isolation and forgotten places.
The project moves beyond Brussels to Charleroi, offering a deeper look into spaces often left out of official narratives. While Brussels, as the capital of Europe, symbolizes modernity and institutional power, just beyond its surface lies another city: one marked by decay, silence, and the emotional traces of lives in transit.
These overlooked places — industrial zones, empty neighborhoods, and marginal spaces — reflect the gap between the promises of a unified Europe and the realities of those left on the margins. Inspired by Svetlana Boym’s concept of “reflective nostalgia,” the project uses memory not to return to the past, but to understand the present through the beauty of what remains.
The Kranz typeface, designed by Studio Iknoki and inspired by the Vienna Secession, visually supports this narrative, acting as a symbolic bridge between past and present. It enhances the emotional atmosphere of the project, echoing the quiet weight of nostalgia and the longing embedded in modern urban spaces.