Enrica Cantore
Enrica Cantore
"Icanta’s" floral arrangements and Enrica Cantore’s creations will be on display over the coming weekends in the Chapel of San Rocco, located along the road leading to the Sacra di San Michele, just behind the parish church. This retrospective exhibition honors the artist—who passed away on December 2nd—and was organized by her brother Eugenio at the urging of friends and acquaintances, with curation by Paola Comolli and Piero Del Vecchio. The opening is scheduled for Saturday, September 26th, at 3:00 PM, attended by local officials and community associations. On Sunday, the 27th, the exhibition will be open continuously from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM. The following weekend—coinciding with the Susa Valley’s first edition of "Hemp Day" (Canapa Day)—a discussion on the subject of hemp will be held in the same venue; hemp is the fabric used as a base for a number of Cantore’s works. The exhibition features around eighty pieces from her vast repertoire, ranging from fabric embroideries to bags, slippers, scarves, necklaces, and various accessories created by repurposing used garments—what is known today as the "circular economy." "In this way," Enrica wrote, "I revive an ancient, humble tradition typical of marginal areas like mountain regions—a tradition that is deeply feminine. I create by engaging in a dialogue with the materials I use; they come to me already carrying their own history, and I give them the chance to begin a new one." Enrica Cantore was born in Sant’Ambrogio in 1968; twenty years later, she opened a bespoke tailoring workshop and later a haberdashery, focusing particularly on the craft and textile creativity sectors. Alongside the "Cutting & Sewing" classes held in her shop, she offered specialized courses and hobby workshops. She collaborated with local Universities of the Third Age on basic and advanced courses and on a survey of the "needle arts" of the Susa Valley—an initiative led by the Sant’Antonino Unitre that culminated in the publication *Aghi, fili e racconti* (Graffio, 2014). A lover of the mountains, art, and history—particularly local history—she authored the book *Storie tessute* (Susalibri, 2010) and served as a cultural volunteer at the Sacra di San Michele. Now, an exhibition presents her work to a wider audience. "Through her art, Enrica expressed her love for nature and conveyed the importance of an approach to work rooted in the ecological principles of recovery and reuse. I am grateful to Paola Comolli and Piero Del Vecchio for embracing my proposal and, with the help of Enrica’s friends, creating an exhibition that truly represents her art."
