Fondazione Ermanno Casoli is delighted to present Viento y Memoria (Wind and Memory), an installation conceived by the Mexican designer Fernando Sarvide, curated by Marcello Smarrelli, and created in Querétaro to mark the 20th anniversary of ElicaMex, the Elica Group’s manufacturing hub in Mexico.

To mark this milestone, one of the country’s most deeply felt celebrations has been chosen: the Día de Muertos, a tradition of profound cultural and social significance which, through music, colour and joy, comes to terms with the theme of death by celebrating it as part of life. On this day, families gather to symbolically meet the spirits of their departed loved ones.

For the occasion, FEC commissioned Fernando Sarvide to create an installation conceived as a symbolic space in which to place photographs of loved ones: an altar that traces a symbolic journey through life, absence and remembrance. At the base, a carpet of sawdust and seeds extends this journey, whilst marigolds, candles, terracotta objects and offerings help to create a welcoming and deeply meaningful space. Created within the factory premises, the project forms part of FEC for Factories, an innovative approach devised by Fondazione Ermanno Casoli to bring contemporary art into the heart of production systems, with a view to fostering creativity and the potential to invent new languages, production processes and systems of communication.

As part of Viento y Memoria, workers were invited to write names, messages and dedications on paper butterflies in memory of their loved ones. The butterflies form part of the path leading to the altar, transforming individual memories into a collective gesture. Through participation, the artwork becomes a shared experience, rather than simply something to be observed. Each contribution strengthens the link between memory, tradition and a sense of belonging.

“Fernando Sarvide’s work explores memory from two complementary perspectives: that of those who are no longer with us and the history of Elica. It tells the story of where Elica comes from, whilst looking towards where it is heading,” said Marcello Smarrelli, artistic director of Fondazione Ermanno Casoli.