“Mayday” is a sculpture-installation composed of several materials glazed terracotta, water, glass, and wood arranged in a simple yet meaningful setup. The work takes the form of a glass with slightly blurred edges, placed on a wooden base. Inside the container is a woman’s head made of fired and glazed terracotta, with a coppery hue. The head is tilted and fully submerged in water.
The figure’s bent and motionless posture evokes a sense of waiting and vulnerability. The water surrounding her transforms the space of the glass into a metaphor for the sea. Full immersion intensifies the feeling of isolation and fragility, suggesting a situation where survival depends on external help.
The title Mayday reinforces the dramatic dimension of the installation. “Mayday” is an international distress signal used in maritime and aviation communications to indicate a life-threatening emergency. It comes from the French expression m’aider (“help me”), adopted in early 20th-century radio protocols to be easily understood by international operators. This reference places the work firmly in the realm of rescue and imminent danger.
Through this composition, the artwork seeks to capture the suspended moment of a person in distress at sea caught between the hope of being saved and the threat of shipwreck. The submerged female figure becomes a symbolic image of the many migrants undertaking perilous maritime journeys, whose survival often depends on timely assistance.
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