In his exhibition "With Love and Embers" on display at the Barvinskyi Art Gallery, Ryts Monet, also known as Enricomaria De Napoli, offers a profound exploration of catastrophe, geopolitics, and archaeology. The centrepiece of the exhibition is the "Lamassu (With Love and Embers)" series, which includes sculptures produced through digital renderings and 3D printing based on fragments of the ancient Assyrian Lamassu statues. These sculptures serve as poignant symbols of resilience and vulnerability, surviving the destruction wrought by ISIS and the US-led invasion of Iraq.
Monet's series "Schuld" examines the intersection of money and ruin(s), highlighting the fragility of financial systems. He incorporates international banknotes and depicts scenes like the New York Stock Exchange as crumbling relics to emphasize the impermanence of human civilization.
Drawing inspiration from 19th-century artist Eugène Flandin's drawings of the Lamassu, Monet further explores themes of destruction and reconstruction. He incorporates fragments of banknotes from the Central Bank of Iraq to draw attention to the commodification of cultural heritage and illicit trade in antiquities linked to extremist financing.
Overall, Ryts Monet's exhibition challenges viewers to confront the fragility of human civilization, the enduring legacy of conflict, and their collective responsibility in shaping the future of our world.