The views of San Pietro
Anthropocene. From the Greek anthropos, meaning man. With this term, around the eighties, we began to define the current geological era, unequivocally linked to the action of man, as most of the territorial, structural and climatic changes testify. Without a doubt there are many negative changes, just think of the rapid reduction of biodiversity, global warming, deforestation and countless other events, but this time, we thought it was right to show how man, who causes so many problems, sometimes can also find solutions.
First of all, however, let's start from the setting of this story. 2018. August. We fly to Sardinia in search of a nature totally alien to what we know from our experience in northern Italy. We end up on the Island of San Pietro, in the south-west of the region. Accompanied by a miniature universal deluge, in the span of a day we are able to observe such a natural richness as to take our breath away: from the flamingos just outside Carloforte, the jellyfish of Cala Fico, to the protagonist of this artistic research.
Even if from the pages of this book you can see a large number of glimpses made of plants, rocks and sea, the focal point is always one, even when it is not seen. Eleonora's falcon. In fact, on the island of San Pietro, there is a small gem that belongs to those who love to spend hours chasing an impression of feathers in the sky. Like us, many others armed with telephoto lenses, pencils and brushes, but also with spray cans, as evidenced by the mural dedicated to the falcon created by Manu Invisible, find themselves in the Capo Sandalo reserve to try to observe a small, but very very memorable animal. If you let yourself be lulled by the surrounding environment, it is easy to lose track of time and spend a few hours observing the sea, the sky, the rocks, following the flight of Queen Eleonora's falcon. It’s especially to her that we owe this view, and this is where the anthropocene comes into play. Just as man in 1300 put the falcon's survival at risk, man has also guaranteed its safety, thanks to the intervention of Juighissa Eleonora and her law that prohibited the hunting of adult specimens and the taking of nestlings. This falcon owes its name and life to her. Now the area is a Lipu reserve and man continues to protect the environment and the animals that inhabit it, going there to admire the natural spectacle that is offered to them in exchange for just a little respect.
