What It Takes To Be A Body is a series of two video works Left Handed and Right Handed. Inspired by the French philosopher Michel Serres’ book Variations On The Body, Mattia Casalegno’s work deals with the idea of beauty and the fallacy of the presumed superiority of man and its machines over nature, presenting a poignant reminder of the power of human hubris. Conceived as a large scale site-specific installation, the work is displayed as an audiovisual animation projected on two 24 ft. wide screens facing one another. Against an impeccable backdrop of gypsum statues, the work focuses upon the central construct of what appears to be a modern aircraft engine, coming together in an archaic space symbolizing a neoclassical idea of beauty. Using imagery taken from the Italian workshop of the master sculptor Antonio Canova, Casalegno’s work is a reflection on the human body and its reverent relationship to knowledge and power. The work is accompanied by a soundtrack by Different Fountains released on the Meakusma label in Belgium.