The first impression: Tentacles float out of a jellyfish-like body, in all-embracing darkness. But the impression is deceiving – what Sissa Micheli has exposed, developed, stopped and fixed several times over is not a medusa. The object, whose contours and shapes have been swallowed by the photogram, is in fact a parachute.  In Micheli’s series “Reversed Parachutes”, the baryta paper, which is normally smoothed out, was left in its original wavy state. By means of targeted framing, the parachute appears to be trapped in a whirling frenzy, throwing its limbs into the air like a dancing figure. The topographic haptics of the baryta paper, frozen in movement, appear as a cartography of our desires that are being projected onto its surface.

—  Patrick Schabus

In her latest work, Sissa Micheli lets herself be inspired by the infinite fold, as described by French philosopher Gilles Deleuze in his book The Fold: Leibniz and the Baroque (1988). With fluttering items of clothing, she  creates fascinating temporary sculptures that celebrate the volatile and the transient in a sensuous, dynamic interplay. At the same time, the works represent the fundamental characteristic of photography: To capture and freeze a moment that is not visible to the human eye, and to imbue it with meaning. The textiles draped in front of the face and body of a figure play with the contrast between coverage and revelation, protection and helplessness, and show a vulnerable creature that has been thrown into the world. Micheli started with this image series before the pandemic, but it is more topical than ever.

— Günther Oberhollenzer

Sissa Micheli’s latest works are centred around the themes of landscape ontology and understanding of science, which are directly linked to relevant topics of our time. The artist translates her views of reality into a metaphorical message to make us aware of the limits of the system we live in, and to enable a critical analysis of our society. In Rocket World, which shows a charred and smoking globe, Micheli addresses not just climate change, but also the devastating wars that happen in the world. The work is a warning to be mindful of our environment as well as a message of peace. It is a signal, a wake-up call from the artist to the world. 

— Sissa Micheli

Sissa Micheli’s works deal with important themes of our times, connected with the ontology of landscapes and the understanding of science. The artist avails herself of metaphorical imagery to show us the limits of our natural habitat and perform a critical analysis of our society. In A Mountain Phenomenon, an iceberg constructed from a rescue blanket that was developed by NASA in 1964, she condenses the problems of climate change and the associated melting of the glaciers in a single photograph. The work is a warning to be mindful of our ecological habitat. – Sissa Micheli

The series “Silver Mountains” is the epitome of the Austrian Alps, distilling the entire mountain spectrum into a miniature object. The focus lies on the exceptional role that the Austrian mountains have played in generating prosperity for the country. Tourism and skiing have brought wealth to Austria’s mountain regions. However, we are also called upon to protect their ecological habitat. The silver finish of the objects is there to remind us of the uniqueness of this natural world heritage.

— Sissa Micheli