IL MIO CUORE SARÀ SEMPRE CON VOI | RUBEN MONTINI

Ruben Montini (Oristano, 1986) is an artist and civil rights activist for the Italian LGBTQI+ community. His practice, both intimate and political, alternates between performance and the creation of textile artworks, often engaging with the collective and encouraging an active participation in art.
Through his work, Montini seeks to shoulder the weight of a widespread social condition, dedicating his heart and soul to dismantling heteronormative stereotypes in contemporary society.

“Il mio cuore sarà sempre con voi” (My heart will always be with you) is the delicate dedication Montini addresses to the LGBTQI+ community, and also the title of a magnificent fabric bouquet.
The artist chooses sewing because it is a practice commonly associated with the feminine sphere, aiming to emphasize and challenge gender identity contrasts.

Il mio cuore sarà sempre con voi (2022) was created using countless scraps of fabric of various shapes, colors, patterns, and sizes. Golden threads hold the fabric fragments together, conveying lightness, elegance, and solidity at the same time.
The bouquet consists of four long stems, some of which are already in bloom, while others show only shy but promising buds.
The diverse nuances of the bouquet, both in color and fabric, represent the many identities that make up the LGBTQI+ community, of which Montini is a part.

It is almost disarming how the artist managed to address such a weighty theme through an artwork of such delicacy: an empathetic message that demonstrates deep sensitivity. At the same time, the work also delivers a strong critique, with the message written on the tag attached to the bouquet being clear and direct: “Take these flowers and offer them to all the homotransphobia targets and victims in our society.” In this way, Montini seeks to involve the public, as those who ignore the issue become part of the problem.

What we can learn from Montini’s artwork is that perhaps the best way to fight social injustices is through art and culture, using refined tools, without paying attention to fundamentally insubstantial opinions and without stooping to the pettiness of some people.

Ruben Montini
Il mio cuore sarà sempre con voi, 2022, detail
About 72 x 65 x 30 cm
Sardinian brocade, silk organza, cotton, synthetic fabrics sewn on wood, wire, brass
Courtesy the artist, photo by Nicola Morittu

Ruben Montini, Il mio cuore sarà sempre con voi, 2022.
Sardinian brocade, silk organza, cotton, synthetic fabrics sewn on wood, wire, brass.
Courtesy the artist, photo by Nicola Morittu.

12/10/24