Carro Celeste

Italian-born artist Mariella Bettineschi wanted to connect her work with Finnish culture and the mythology of the northern peoples. She therefore chose the Big Dipper as her subject, a constellation part of the Ursa Major that holds an important place in Finno-Ugric mythology. In Italian, it is known as Carro Celeste, meaning the celestial chariot. The work draws on the traditions of Pop Art and Constructivism. The cobalt-blue ‘chariot’ also creates a surreal illusion of a vehicle in motion, seemingly rolling down the slope.