Welcome to “Dualità/Dualismo,” a captivating work by Kiki Skipi, the artistic alter ego of Chiara Pulselli. Kiki Skipi deeply explores the inner contrasts and complexities of the human soul.

Originally from the city of Oristano in Sardina, Kiki Skipi’s journey began with studies in educational psychology before moving to Milan, where she delved into photography. After three years, she returned to Sardinia to enroll at the Academy of Fine Arts in Sassari. There, she discovered that drawing, painting, and illustration were the perfect tools to shape her imaginary worlds, with the female figure at the center of her visual storytelling. Her interest in self-portrait is not about realism but rather an intimate search: her figures have no faces because Kiki Skipi wants the viewer to project themselves into the work, interpreting it through a dreamlike and symbolic lens.

Today, the artist lives and works in Bologna, though her personal experiences remain at the heart of her art.

The work before you, “Dualità/Dualismo,” reflects one of Kiki Skipi’s central themes: the contrast between the soul and the mind, between rationality (Logos) and instinct (Eros/Animus). These are opposing forces, yet they are necessary, often overlapping and intertwining in each of our lives.

On one side of the container, you’ll find the representation of Logos: the figure, bent under the weight of an enormous head, is burdened by rational thought. Thin thorns sprout from the body, symbolizing the challenges and struggles linked to the mind and logic.

On the other side, the artist represents Eros and Animus: here, the figure is larger and more confident. Blooming roses symbolize vitality and passion, and the head, much smaller, is held lightly between the hands, no longer a weight to bear.

These two images, while functioning separately, are opposite sides of the same coin—a reflection on human nature and how these opposites coexist within each of us. Kiki Skipi invites us to ponder how our lives are a constant balancing act between thought and instinct, between the weight of rationality and the lightness of emotion.

Through vibrant colors and strong symbolism, “Dualità/Dualismo” speaks to all of us, reflecting our inner struggles and the quest to find balance between two guiding forces—sometimes in harmony, sometimes in conflict.