Dimmi, Amore 01
Letterpress Print
- ProjectDimmi, Amore
- PrintLetterpress
- OriginItaly
- Dimensions50cm x 70cm
- FramedNo
- SignatureBottom right corner
Dimmi, Amore letterpress prints are made at Tipoteca located in Cornuda, Veneto, Italy. Tipoteca has a museum which offers workshops and courses to create your own prints. Different fonts are researched in the archive and a unique layout is created for the print. The letters used are woodblocks which are positioned in a layout held together with metal components. Black ink is then applied, and the paper goes through the machine. Each print is unique as it has a different amount of ink, and thus, a different texture and imperfections are shown.
Letterpress Prints
A series of letterpress posters repeat the phrase “Dimmi, amore” in many different fonts, an echoing encouragement to enunciation.
The phrase Dimmi, Amore is in reference to the manifesto I wrote in 2021.
Tell me that everyone will strive to be their truest self, while also knowing that they can continue to grow into the person they wish to become. We will learn to see challenges as opportunities to learn and grow.
Tell me that we will hear each other out, whether we agree or disagree. We will try to understand each other’s behavior and actions—even if we find them frustrating. We will let go of anger and hate. We will not force our opinions on others or try to prove that we are right. We will understand that we all live in different realities, even though we share the same earth. There will be no more war. We will earn each other’s trust.
Tell me that everyone will be treated equally, no matter their gender, sexuality, or race. We will support each other as we work through past traumas.
Tell me that there will be no gossip or attempts to shape the lives of others. We will treat others as we wish to be treated. We will strengthen our own minds and share knowledge, rather than turning to gossip as the only form of sociality.
Tell me that we will strive to help another person every day. We will reach out a hand to those on the margins. We will listen to the elderly and the young. We will understand that every person has a story.
Tell me that, collectively, we will have the power to change the world for the better. There will be no more centralized control, only communities collaborating.
Tell me that we will follow the ideas that excite us and embark upon career paths that we love. We will reclaim the word “work,” which will no longer signify a burden or labor, but something that we are excited to do. We will understand that not following our passions can be dangerous.
Tell me about a world in which parents understand how their actions shape their child’s life. Tell me that, in the most formative years, they take care of their little ones, hold them close, let them know they are surrounded by love. Tell me that those parents apologize to their children when they make mistakes, that they recognize their fallibility and let their child know that errors are opportunities for growth.
Tell me that we can expand the concept of family beyond the bonds of blood. How can a community enter the life of and help raise a child?
Tell me that every rooftop will be a sanctuary for birds and gardens. Tell me that every abandoned lot will become a place for communities to grow their vegetables and, in doing so, will understand the labor that feeds our society. Tell me that every structure we build will become part of a thriving ecosystem.
Tell me that we will learn together about where food comes from, how it affects our bodies and the earth. Tell me how the different plants take from and give to the soil. Tell me how the animals grow, how they nurture their young, and how their death helps us to provide for ours. Fruits and vegetables come from the earth. Meat comes from bodies. No more disconnect between the farming of animals and plants and the food we see on our plates. No more processed food. We will eat seasonally and locally. We will use as much of the animal or vegetable as we can.
Tell me that there will no longer be any waste. All homes will be furnished with reusable containers and natural products. Stores will all be package free and will no longer offer plastic bags. All neighborhoods will compost. We will build a circular economy.
Tell me that everyone will have access to clean and safe drinking water.
Tell me that medicine will embrace science, ancient wisdom, and natural remedies. We will protect our bodies from the damaging side effects of pharmaceutical drugs.
Tell me that we will meditate together and recognize the power of consciousness. We will practice kindness, unity, and peace with each other and ourselves. We will see the interconnection of all things. We will understand that we have everything we need. We will have faith in the universe and accept its gifts and challenges. We will know that reality is more than what we see, hear, and touch.
Tell me that there will be no lack. There will be no pain. We will not fear. We will be safe.
Tell me that we will love living in this world, that we will wake into each day with gratitude. We will not dream of a future life in a future world, but rather will reinvest in preserving the earth that gave shape to us.
Tell me that everyday life will be infused with art and poetry. Art will be accessible to all because it will be everywhere.
Dimmi, Amore
“Dimmi amore”—in English, “tell me, my love”—is a phrase used often in Italy. Often, I am overwhelmed by this phrase, brought almost to tears by the simplicity and beauty of an invitation to speak.
