Sara Barbanti & Carla Maiolo at Porte Rosse

From June 7th to 10th, right in the heart of San Lorenzo, Rome turned into body, matter, and vision.
Porte Rosse, a new cultural space tucked between lived-in apartment blocks, hosted a pop-up show featuring Sara Barbanti and Carla Maiolo - an event that wasn’t just about aesthetics, but a small ritual of creative cross-pollination.
For those who were there (and those who wished they had been), it was a meeting of worlds brushing against each other: the molten metal of Sara Barbanti, shaping jewelry like solid emotions, and the airy, evocative textile installations of Carla Maiolo, who uses gesture and transparency to speak of spaces we inhabit with our eyes and our skin.

This wasn’t just fashion, nor was it simply art - it was a quiet conversation between two materials that, under the right light, become a language.

We had the chance to chat with the artists to understand what really happens when matter meets gesture, when flame shapes and thread sews without seams, when creating becomes both a personal and collective necessity.

In your creative process, you often work with the contrast between natural and precious materials. What draws you to this material dialogue, and how did that come through in your pieces at Porte Rosse?

Sara Barbanti:
"Using organic and precious materials is a way to enhance their unique qualities through contrast. The creative process behind each piece of jewelry is essential - by playing with fusing and rolling metals, and pairing enamel with silver, I can spark unusual aesthetic and sensory short circuits. Every piece is unique, and I always end up with one-of-a-kind results".

Why do you leave so much room for the unexpected and the organic in your process? Is it an act of trust, control, or disruption?

"None of the three, actually. Leaving space for randomness is a form of freedom: the metal decides. It’s like a game where each time I discover what will come out of it. It’s a process that’s constantly shifting, showing new limits and possibilities with every attempt".

Work by Sara Barbanti. Picture courtesy of press office © All rights belong to their respective owners. No copyright infringement intended.

For you, fabric is a material to transform and rediscover, often with a focus on reuse. How did that idea play out in this installation, and what role does the concept of 'memory of the gesture' play?

Carla Maiolo:
"This time, the fabric adapted to the shapes of Sara’s metal, with the intention of creating a contrast between the lightness of the textile and the rigidity of the materials. I liked the idea of playing with shadows and movement. I used deadstock fabric that’s already ready to be reimagined and repurposed in future work. What interests me is that the material can constantly reshape itself to new spaces, bodies, textures. The memory of the gesture is in that moment when the fabric, in its many lives, settles into just one - for a here and now that will eventually become something else".

We often associate fabric with the body, protection, and expression. How does it become a storytelling material for you?

"Between me and the fabric, there's the gesture. Whether on a body or in a space, when it ‘dresses,’ it tells the story of the gesture and the idea behind it - what shaped it. In textures, patterns, and cuts, it takes on roles and effects that are the outcome of a creative process that’s unique every time".

*in conversation with both.

The meeting of your two practices puts seemingly distant languages in dialogue. Yet, an emotional and technical exchange clearly emerged through this exhibition.

"We’re close friends and deeply respect each other’s work. With this show, we wanted to dive into each other’s worlds. The exchange happened so naturally—we trusted each other completely. It felt like we already shared a common vision, and that made the whole process smooth and fun".

Your work both has a strong tactile and sensory element, inviting the viewer into a physical, perceptive relationship with the piece.

"The connection to the body is essential for both of us - our work lives through bodies: bodies that wear the jewelry, bodies that wear or move through the fabric. This show was an opportunity to go beyond our own mediums. One of the days we hosted a performance by two incredible artists, Filippo Lilli and Valentina Sansone. Having performers interact with a static piece through music and dance was such a beautiful artistic experiment - it enriched us first and, hopefully, also the experience of the audience".

Filippo Lilli, Valentina Sansone performance - picture shot by Victoria Wise, courtesy of press office © All rights belong to their respective owners. No copyright infringement intended.

Porte Rosse was born as a place for independent visions and crossovers. You were invited to take over a space that’s still evolving, presenting works that are deeply physical - in both gesture and material.

"It was a wonderful dialogue - it was our first time working together, and the ideas just came to life in a spontaneous way. Porte Rosse felt like a blank canvas, ready to be shaped around our creative needs".

Was this encounter between your practices a one-time moment, or the beginning of a creative partnership? Do you imagine building something together that goes beyond the show?

"Absolutely. We’d love to explore a deeper fusion of our practices and keep experimenting - especially with how the audience interacts with the work".