Notes on Objects and Places
Siracusa, October 16, 2025
When we arrived in Ortigia –
a small island off the coast of Siracusa,
connected to Sicily by three little bridges – the turquoise Ionian Sea and pale limestone walls reflected the sun in all directions, creating a soft brilliance.
Golden light and salted air –
the backdrop for our ten-day artistic exchange.
We stepped into the world of Chiara and Kyle of CasaChora, to share about textiles, food, and the energising rhythm of creating together.
In the first days, while Johannes and Kyle cooked, Chiara and I dyed silk with cutch and pomegranate. We tested natural pigments and mordants for the sarongs.
I’m drawn to the earthy browns, the warm oranges and pinks. A few pieces for the new collection are already taking shape – their small imperfections make them feel alive.
We work on the rooftop terrace, looking out over Porta Marina and the sea beyond.
At the local market, the air is full of thyme, fennel, mint, oregano, and salted capers.
Pomegranates glow red beside the bright yellow of lemons.
Cheese in every form – from fresh primo sale to baked ricotta – invites you to taste everything. Everywhere you look, there’s a reason to take out the camera.
In Ortigia and La Borgata, people carry an openness that feels precious – time to talk, to listen, to share a story.
Days are full but unhurried, the kind of rhythm that settles into you.
The alleys always lead somewhere familiar. People already recognise us in the street, and many came to our final event.
For the closing presentation, Kyle and Johannes shaped the menu as a dialogue of colour, texture, and season – a way to mirror the textile work of Chiara and Marina.
We let the fabrics lead us: contrasts, deep tones, soft layers.
The market offered what we needed – pomegranate, beetroot, polenta, vine leaves, nettle, carob, peppers, pumpkin.
In the kitchen, we echoed the gestures of dyeing – folding, soaking in ash water, waiting.
As we packed the last pieces, the colours still shifting in the afternoon light, we felt how everything had blended – cloth, taste, time.
What began as an exchange now feels like a truly found friendship.
Pictures by Johannes Roderer