Scavi, Italian for excavation began in 2023 after a visit to the sites surrounding Naples. The series explores myth and story from Roman and Geek Antiquity, traces of which are found on the painted murals of archeological heritage sites in The Bay of Naples. In 79 AD Mount Vesuvius erupted, covering several cities in the Naples area. Today Herculaneum, Torre Annunziata, Pompeii are part of world heritage and visited by millions eager to view the extraordinary remnants of ancient Roman life buried under volcanic debris for centuries and discovered by architect Domenico Fontana in 1599.
The frescoes excavated in Pompeii and Herculaneum include still lives as offerings, detailed representations of food, flowers, household items; offering a glimpse into the everyday life of slaves and citizens. They also depict myths typical of ancient Greece such as the story of Frisso and Elle, who become refugees driven out of their home by their stepmother who bribed the oracle of Delphi to have the children killed as form of sacrifice to end the famine that befell their homeland. Or the story of Leda and the Swan; according to myth, Zeus the king of the gods transformed himself into a swan to seduce Leda queen of Sparta.
Animals appear in this new work as symbolic elements to explore themes of culture, myth and belief, highlighting the divide between nature and culture referencing the transience and fragility of both human and animal life. The eruption of Vesuvius not only preserved buildings and artefacts but captured poignant moments of the city’s animal life. Plaster casts made of victims of the eruption revealed the presence of animals among human remains, highlighting the close bonds between humans and animals. In addition to domestic animals, exotic animals were also part of Pompeiian life. Wealthy residents kept monkeys, parrots, wild leopards and lions as symbols of stars and prestige. Today these animals reappear in Knorr’s photographs as reminders of the myth and stories that invite viewers to reflect on the interplay between history and modernity, myth and reality.