
Elena Damiani
Resting on the floor, the works Ventifacts, is part of a recent investigation around wind forces that erode
the Earth's surface and transport dust between continents. The work refers to the action of the wind as a
ground modelling agent and redistribution of geological materials. The sculptures carved in marble in
the shape of oloides resemble ventifacts of surfaces polished by the wind and continuous curves like the
profile of a dune. An oloide is a three-dimensional curved geometric object that was discovered
by sculptor and engineer Paul Schatz in 1929. This shape is made by placing
two linked congruent circles in perpendicular planes, so that the centre of each circle lies on the edge of
the other circle. The distance between the circle centres equals the radius of the circles. If an oloide rolls
down a slightly inclined surface, you will be able to perceive the typical, rhythmically pulsing movement.