There are materials that aren't simply matter. They carry with them stories, wounds, hopes. The wood recovered from the Steccato di Cutro shipwreck, which swallowed up lives and dreams in February 2023, is one of them.
In the hands of master Domenico Sepe, a Neapolitan sculptor of rare sensitivity, that wood is no longer just the silent witness to a tragedy: it becomes a voice, a denunciation, a prayer. It becomes the beating heart of "Franciscvs - Miserando atque eligendo," the monumental bronze sculpture dedicated to Pope Francis, a work that unites faith, art, and memory, transforming pain into hope.
We spoke with Domenico Sepe to learn how a work capable of speaking to the heart of the world is born.
“It wasn't just wood: it was living memory”
What was it like working with material so full of history and pain?
Working with the wood recovered from the boat that sank at Steccato di Cutro in 2023 was a profound emotional journey. Every fiber told a story of hope, escape, and tragedy. It wasn't just material: it was living memory. I've used this wood in the past to create the pastoral cross for the statue of Pope Francis, and even then I felt the need to treat it with respect, almost devotion. Now, with this bronze work, over two meters tall, I wanted to give continuity to that gesture, transforming pain into testimony.
“That wood deserved to speak to the world”
What inspired you to transform the wood of a shipwreck into such a powerful work of art?
"The impulse came from an inner urgency: not to forget.
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“Art must listen and give voice”
What do you think is the role of the artist in the face of tragedies like the one in Cutro?
Artists have a duty to be present, not to turn a blind eye. In the face of tragedies like the one in Cutro, art can become a voice, a denunciation, but also an embrace. It's not just about creating, but about listening, welcoming, giving shape to what often remains invisible. It's a role that requires sensitivity, but also courage. The work I created aims to be precisely this: an act of remembrance and hope.
"From pain to beauty, for a future of hope"
In your opinion, can art be a bridge between the memory of tragedies and hope for the future?
"Yes, profoundly. Art has the power to transform pain into beauty, loss into awareness. When a work is born from a tragedy, it's not just commemoration: it's also a promise. Bronze, with its strength and resilience, becomes a symbol of this desire: to remember in order to build, to bear witness in order to change. And the wood from the shipwreck, inserted as a sacred element, reminds us that even from the rubble something eternal can be born."
In a world that often quickly forgets, Domenico Sepe's art becomes a bulwark against oblivion." Franciscvs Miserando atque eligendo "It doesn't just ask to be admired: it asks to stop, reflect and remember. Because every mark in the bronze, every fiber of that wood, carries with it a silent voice that asks us: what kind of humanity do we want to be?
Comments (1)
The article is very interesting and makes you reflect on the profound meaning of art. However, I wonder if wood can truly convey such powerful stories. It's a fascinating concept, but also difficult for the uninitiated to fully grasp.