QG Focus: Antonio Balletta, Divine Offerings

Exhibition dates: Oct 23 – Nov 10, 2025
QG Mingle: Nov 1, 2025, from 2 pm
Sign up for the QG Arty Goodness to receive the invitation in your inbox.

As a child growing up in Naples, Antonio Balletta often accompanied his grandparents to church, where he first encountered the extraordinary ex voto objects – votive offerings traditionally given in fulfilment of a vow or thanks for a divine favour. The objects form the inspiration for this exhibition.

Artist’s Statement

These works are inspired by the ex voto – votive offerings traditionally given in fulfilment of a vow or in thanks for a divine favour. As a child growing up in Naples, I often accompanied my grandparents to church, where I first encountered these extraordinary objects. I was mesmerised by their presence: hundreds of glistening tokens, hanging in silent devotion from the cathedral walls. Though I didn’t yet understand their true meaning, I sensed they were special – beautiful, precious, and imbued with emotion.

The pieces I’ve created for this exhibition, while not religious in nature, share something of that spirit. Like the ex voto, they are offerings – expressions of gratitude for the intangible gifts life bestows.

For me, gratitude is not only a private feeling but a vital force in human connection. It’s woven into the gestures we exchange daily – a gift, a hug, a kiss – acts that bind us through love, loyalty, and friendship. These small rituals become a language of belonging, forming a bridge between the physical and the spiritual.

Unlike traditional votive objects, the symbolism in my work arises from personal experience rather than religious iconography. Over time, I’ve developed a visual vocabulary – recurring motifs that hold meaning for me and, I hope, resonate universally. The sleeping boy, boats, houses, branches: these are not mere images, but clues to deeper narratives – signifiers of memory, longing, fragility, and hope.

The sculptures, though grounded in physical form, aspire toward something sacred. They recall the reliquary – a container for relics, cherished not only for what it holds but for what it represents. In this way, each piece becomes a celebration of life’s journey: its beauty, its impermanence, its quiet moments of grace.

Ultimately, I see these works as offerings – art as object, created with care and intention, to be shared and passed on. They are tokens of thanks, expressions of love, and reminders of the invisible threads that connect us all.