THE CROCODILE’S LAMENT: RECLAIMING THE RIVER, RESHAPING THE NARRATIVE

Lanfranco Aceti’s The Crocodile’s Lament continues his ambitious four-part series exploring the environmental and cultural crises of our time. Following The Home of the Crocodile and leading to A River of Crocodile Tears and The Flight of the Crocodile, this second chapter focuses on the Tiber River, transforming it into a site of memory, resistance, and renewal.

In collaboration with Tevereterno, IPER Festival delle Periferie, and the Museo delle Periferie, under the aegis of Azienda Speciale Palaexpo, Aceti critiques humanity’s disconnection from nature and the commodification of cultural and ecological heritage. These partnerships deepen the project’s impact, situating it within critical dialogues about urban peripheries, sustainability, and cultural reclamation. The contributions of curators Giorgio de Finis, Rosario Pavia, and Alessandro Melis bring diverse expertise, bridging environmental advocacy, urban theory, and curatorial innovation to create a project that is as intellectually rigorous as it is visually compelling.

From Myth to Modernity

The Tiber, reimagined through Aceti’s lens, transcends its current polluted state to become both a historical figure and a living archive. Once venerated as the Goddess Albula, the river now laments its transformation under the forces of neglect and exploitation. Through this project, Aceti critiques performative political responses to ecological crises, exposing the gap between public lamentations and meaningful action.

“The Tiber is more than a river; it is a testament to the histories we carry and the futures we must protect,” reflects curator Giorgio de Finis. “Aceti’s work reminds us that cultural and environmental degradation are deeply interconnected.”

A Collaboration of Symbolism and Activism

Through installations, performances, and sculptural works, The Crocodile’s Lament gives voice to the Tiber’s grief. With an unusual model dressed in mesmerizing clothes designed apposetely by the artist, Aceti’s tear motif, appear and shine as symbols that carry disappearing cultural memories. The public performances, created in partnership with local communities, and that make use of a postcard of Rome from the 1970s, transform the riverbank into a stage for activism and artistic expression.

“The Crocodile’s Lament is an urgent dialogue with the past and future,” says curator Alessandro Melis. “It challenges us to reconsider the river not just as a resource but as a living, breathing entity central to our cultural and ecological survival.”

Engaging Urban Peripheries

The inclusion of urban institutions like the Museo delle Periferie and the IPER Festival delle Periferie positions The Crocodile’s Lament at the nexus of art, activism, and community engagement. By foregrounding the voices of those who live along the Tiber’s banks and within its urban peripheries, the project transforms the river into a metaphor for marginalized spaces, calling for renewed attention and care.

As The Crocodile’s Lament unfolds, Aceti’s work challenges audiences to rethink their relationships with rivers and the ecosystems they sustain. With its mix of institutional support, curatorial vision, and community collaboration, the project reclaims the Tiber not only as a site of historical significance but as a symbol of resilience and renewal.

For further reading, explore the artist’s research essay, A Trans Called Tiber: From Nazi-Fascism and Digital Amnesia to Misinterpretations of Gender Theory.