Serafini, Arborea and Bones and Flower are together a series of sculptures that hang from the ceiling by Italian visual artist B. Filippo Chilelli. These sculptures were made by following the posthuman philosophy, which seeks to decentralize power over the planet from human beings, allowing humanity to move forward while considering the needs of plants and animals alike as equals. They especially look towards Donna Haraway’s A Cyborg Manifesto, which presented a thought exercise to achieve posthumanism by imagining future human forms that have been assimilated with plants, animals and inorganic matter alike.
Considering today’s state of decay and decline that the planet is undergoing, with everything from climate change to the sixth mass species extinction, human forms Serafini, Arborea and Bones and Flower appear to be viable and logical imaginary options. As previously mentioned, these sculptures, or “creatures” are a fusion of plants, animals and machines. It can be inferred that because of the polluted soils, they have adapted to instead hang from the ceilings of either human made architecture or natural caves.
Hence, these imaginary beings tell a cautionary tale, which takes its viewers on a wondrous journey through time and space, where the human form has to be modified to such a degree, all to assimilate to a ravaged planet. This is why Serafini, Arborea and Bones and Flower by B. Filippo Chilelli are aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals of Life on Land and Climate Action.
Another interesting element of the three pieces is the fact that Chilelli introduces them with a positive point of view in their portfolio. Chilelli introduces them as plural beings, far from natural who are now a hybrid of machine and organism. “They invite us to explore our sense of identity in relationships, to a multiplicity of other possible paths or entities,” they wrote. Here again, Chilelli is highlighting how posthuman philosophy asks humanity to put themselves as equal with plants and animals. They are making Serafini, Arborea and Bones and Flower a conduit for the viewer to put themselves in the shoes of these beings, asking audiences to imagine what it would be like to live as these creatures who hang from cave ceilings.
B. Filippo Chilelli's Serafini, Arborea and Bones and Flower present an evocative vision of posthumanism, imagining future organisms that integrate plants, animals and machines in response to a ravaged planet. These suspended hybrid beings reflect the adaptation required in a world devastated by climate change and mass extinction, offering a cautionary yet imaginative tale of survival. The works challenge anthropocentrism and invite viewers to explore equality between species while reimagining human identity within a shared ecosystem. By positioning these creatures as a hopeful exploration of coexistence rather than despair, Chilelli encourages contemplation and action for a sustainable future.
Find out more about Arborea and other pieces by B. Filippo Chilelli on their Link tree or Instagram @phil.cosmo.