Art Exhibition - Dwelling: A Snail’s Journey

Three larger-than-life snails adorn the front lawn of the Dublin Arts Council building located at 7125 Riverside Drive, Dublin, OH, USA. The artworks traveled from Milan, Italy where they were created by a group of six Italian-based artists known as Cracking Art. Formed in 1993, Cracking Art Group upholds a solid commitment to investigating social and environmental issues through the conception and creation of art.

Dublin Arts Council will unveil a temporary exhibition in coordination with the three giant orange snails on its grounds. The snails and the exhibition will spark conversation about human evolution and our relationship with natural and artificial environments.

Dublin Arts Council grounds will serve as the initial site and home for the snails, with the intention that the snails will travel to additional sites in the community. Through programming inspired by the concept of the snail, the Dublin Arts Council will invite the community to meet the snails in person and explore related themes. DAC will gather input from the community, encouraging those who live, work, visit, learn and play in Dublin to help build the snails’ story and journey.

Public Art is a conversation that sparks curiosity, creates meaning, and includes many voices. During the exhibition, the Dublin Arts Council gallery will be activated with creative prompts, sensory activities and contemplative practices inspired by the nature of snails..

The Philosophy of Cracking Art:

“Choosing plastic as the material for the creation of artworks, the first intention of the movement was to associate its activity with a clear message of recycling. The plastic used for our urban artistic installations and sculptures has properties of virtual eternal power and can be crushed and reshaped into other sculptures. A real cycle of life to affirm that in Art, as in nature, nothing is created and nothing is destroyed. But everything changes, renews and regenerates.” — Cracking Art

Why Snails?

According to Cracking Art, the snail is one of the most meaningful animals thanks to its regenerative properties that symbolize rebirth and improvement. The snail moves slowly and patiently, representing the importance of moving gradually and safely toward a target. Its “home,” or shell, is not only associated with domesticity but also with mass communication in Italy, as the Italian word for snail – chiocciola – is also the name used for the @ symbol. The helix of its shell, which allows the snail to both hear and move, emphasizes the importance of the ability to listen and the utility of the upward movement that regulates the universe.

“We were inspired by the themes of the snails and curious about the way they exist in the world. The snails inspire us to think about our own relationship with nature and the way we show up in the world,” says Ava Morgan, Public Arts Manager at Dublin Arts Council.

Why Orange?

Because of its association with the changing seasons, the color orange can represent change and movement. Orange is also strongly associated with creativity, health and vitality.

For more information about the exhibition or how to be a collaborator and host a snail visit, reach out to curious@dublinarts.org