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The title of this work, Tre Fontane, meaning Three Fountains in Italian, alludes to the legend of Apostle Paul's martyrdom. According to the Christian myth, St. Paul was decapitated in Rome during Emperor Nero's reign. When he was beheaded, his head rolled down, touching the ground three times before stopping. In each of the three places where it touched the ground, a fountain sprang up.

 

Ratner’s work combines two contrasting elements: on the one hand the sanctity of the story which serves as its inspiration and on the other a sense of profound secularism, as the fountain looks almost like an abandoned, dripping public bathroom. Oblivion is also a significant element in this work. Ratner is interested in this structure built for an uncertain purpose, and later abandoned, neglected and sealed, which refuses to perish. As in many of Ratner’s works, the aesthetics that inspire him are those found in the city’s most neglected areas. It is precisely in these overlooked areas of town where Ratner finds there is a serenity which encourages reflection and introspection, and in his work he transforms these environments into magical and meditative places.

 

Exhibition text by Ghila Limon

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