Alessandro D'Aquila was born in Abruzzo in 1989 and currently lives in Milan. His artistic research is rooted in a personal experience he had in his youth, when he feared losing his sight. As an adult, D'Aquila transformed this experience into a passionate and introspective quest, finding in Braille language his own means of expression. Chosen not only for its symbolic value, but for its powerful graphic properties, Braille becomes the protagonist of a unique visual language that invites the audience to explore beyond what is immediately visible.
D'Aquila's art is an invitation to look beyond the alphabet, beyond the details, and beyond all those visual barriers that limit us on a daily basis. Through the use of Braille, the artist urges the viewer to slow down, to see patiently, and to discover all that requires attention in order to truly exist. His work is characterized by an extraordinary ability to synthesize complex concepts into essential lines and reduced details, keeping every nuance of meaning intact.
At the heart of his works lies a provocation: D'Aquila reverses roles and meanings, making the audience "blind" and, at the same time, activating in them a deeper awareness of themselves and others. His works turn off the light to turn on reason, close the eyes to awaken the mind and invite us to overcome prejudice to rediscover empathy, illuminating what really matters.
"nothing more than darkness makes what really matters shine."
His Poetic Octotype Tables represent this philosophy with strength and intensity. The works, inspired by classic optical optotypes, feature poems by Italian authors, "decomposed" and reinterpreted through the Braille language. These verses, made visible only through light, lead the viewer on a journey of introspection and discovery. The audience is thus called to reconsider their connection with the world and to rediscover the power of poetry as a guide, a light capable of piercing through the shadows of life and restoring new and lasting meaning.
