Sister Octopi
An artistic collaboration strengthening family ties across borders
A travelling exhibition, Sister Octopi has been featured at multiple locations including DIFC Art Nights and World Art Dubai; an upcoming show in March 2023 at Omnibus Theatre in Clapham, London marks the first appearance of Sister Octopi in the UK. Taking cues from its eponymous octopus, the versatile work transforms and adapts to inhabit new environments, making each installation a unique experience
This immersive installation is the product of a long-distance collaboration between Dubai-based designer Natalya Konforti and her cousin Justine Formentelli, abstract painter in London. This long haul project began in 2017, following the losses of a brother and cousin in close succession. Devastated and searching for a way through grief, the cousins began an artistic correspondence which eventually grew into the rich threads of an unusual family tapestry.
Scrolls dangle from above, transforming the exhibition space into an otherworldly floating forest. As one makes their way through the sanctuary, stopping to admire each ornate work, they will notice the grove is actually formed of octopus arms, hanging over and sheltering.
Watch the video to learn more about the project
Each tentacle reads like threads of conversation between two artists. Visitors are meant to wander through the hanging jungle, suspending disbelief and immersing themselves in a strange and otherworldly environment.
Separated by oceans and several time zones, the cousins designed a format allowing them to create together from different locations. Loosely inspired by the surrealist art game “Exquisite Corpse,” they conceived connecting paper panels exchanged via email. Each scroll is a total collaboration, having both created alternating sections in response to the other’s art.
Why Octopi?
Octopi are uncontested masters of camouflage, embodying experiences of feeling alien, adaptation and being resilient.
The artists saw this surreal creature as a family totem; its 9 brains representing 4 pairs of sisters and the matriarchal grandmother, while its 3 hearts echo branches of their family tree.
The misfit etymology is also in keeping with a family tradition of creating hybrid vocabulary. The artists notably refer to their calls as 'skyptopi sessions', while 'octopiing around' is shorthand for palying with new ideas.
About the Artists
Natalya Konforti is a designer residing in Dubai who has lived in China, France and the USA.
Justine Formentelli, an abstract painter with 20 years of practice, has been exhibiting in the USA and Europe throughout her career and now lives in London after many years abroad.
In addition to being the subject of a documentary by the independent filmmaker Nermeen Kamel, Sister Octopi has been featured in several publications both in the Middle East and Europe including Khaleejesque, Alkali Magazine, Supamodu, Uppercase Magazine and Arab News.
“Sister Octopi is the exact kind of thing we need right now. When the world is fractured, and distance is too often unconquerable, warmth, kinship, and affinity become rare, unreachable gifts.”
“One does not come across such epistolary collaborations very often. Being able to hold such a cooperation is in itself an art. Nevertheless, Sister Octopi, a duo made up of Natalya Konforti and Justine Formentelli is a force that transcends geological boundaries and immerses you into a world of connection”
“A project as exciting and timely as it is inspiring, “Sister Octopi” is a promise of a better world that’s more connected not through commercial endeavors or exploitative globalism but the power of human bonds.”
Follow @sisteroctopi on instagram for an in-depth plunge into the Sister Octopi universe, a sneak peak at what inspired us and the wonderfully weird tidbits from our research that we can't stop thinking about!
