The installation ‘Pòrta bonaür’ creates a dialogue between myth and tradition and global contemporary issues, such as the climate crisis. Inspired by the lore surrounding the Dragon of Dronero, reputed to have dwelled beneath the Devil’s Bridge, the project conjures the illusion that the dragon still resides there. Employing laser technology, play of lights, smoke, and sound, the artwork reimagines the Maira River’s level to be one metre higher than it currently is.

The laser, intensified by smoke to emit a red glow akin to flames, is intermittently obscured by the lights, generating a fluctuation between reality and fantasy upon the river. Accompanying this is a soft melody that mimics the dragon’s lament, serving as a metaphor for the river’s own. This piece aims to not only heighten public consciousness of the pressing environmental challenges of climate change and drought but also to act as a beacon of hope for a region that was deeply affected by the water crisis of summer 2022.