- Interdisciplinary Project
Not even with a flower
Maria Silvano
3 July 2026 19:00–23:00
4 July 2026 12:00–23:00
5 July 2026 11:00–19:00
Today, we live in a world where the separation between the real and virtual dimensions is no longer there, where statistics for Western Countries show that non-consensual online sharing of sexually explicit material is increasingly common. Technology-mediated violence makes abusive and antisocial behavior more likely. Sending non-consensual intimate material is one of the many ways in which gender-based violence manifests itself in the digital world.
“Not even with a flower” is a collection of dick pics onto which I have hand-embroidered bouquets. The photographs were provided by FLINTA people who received them without their consent. Each image bears the name of the harasser’s profession, emphasizing that abuse can come from anyone — even individuals in socially respected positions.
Each photograph is accompanied by a botanical description of one of the flowers in the bouquet and a short anonymous quote from the person who shared their experience. Alongside the front, the back of the embroidered photograph is also displayed, revealing the hidden and silent traces that abuse leaves on the minds and bodies of those affected.
The project seeks to transform harassment into an act of reclamation and resistance. The ongoing work consists of photographs hand-embroidered on photo paper and covered with fabric. Visitors are invited to lift the fabric themselves, highlighting the unexpected dimension concealed behind every form of abuse.
“Not even with a flower” is a collection of dick pics onto which I have hand-embroidered bouquets. The photographs were provided by FLINTA people who received them without their consent. Each image bears the name of the harasser’s profession, emphasizing that abuse can come from anyone — even individuals in socially respected positions.
Each photograph is accompanied by a botanical description of one of the flowers in the bouquet and a short anonymous quote from the person who shared their experience. Alongside the front, the back of the embroidered photograph is also displayed, revealing the hidden and silent traces that abuse leaves on the minds and bodies of those affected.
The project seeks to transform harassment into an act of reclamation and resistance. The ongoing work consists of photographs hand-embroidered on photo paper and covered with fabric. Visitors are invited to lift the fabric themselves, highlighting the unexpected dimension concealed behind every form of abuse.
Biography
Maria Silvano
Maria Silvano is an artist whose photographic practice emerges from the intersection of an anthropological gaze and visual research. Through portraiture and photographic storytelling, she explores identity, gender, and cultural belonging. In recent years, she has expanded her work to include embroidery and textile interventions, which become an integral part of the images, creating layers of meaning and memory.
At the center of her research are gender-related themes, narrated through dense and multilayered storytelling. She has collaborated with international festivals such as Stazione di Topolò, Transmediale, and Disruption Network Lab, and has exhibited across Europe, including at the Royal Anthropological Institute in London, as well as in Barcelona, Berlin, Milan and Venice.
At the center of her research are gender-related themes, narrated through dense and multilayered storytelling. She has collaborated with international festivals such as Stazione di Topolò, Transmediale, and Disruption Network Lab, and has exhibited across Europe, including at the Royal Anthropological Institute in London, as well as in Barcelona, Berlin, Milan and Venice.
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