Debris, a photography and video exhibition shown as part of Open House London by Milan-based artist Paola Musico, focuses on found, lost and discarded objects in otherworldly beachscapes in the UK and Egypt. Imagining a place which gathers all the lost property in the world, the show draws on inspiration from literature, mythology and psychology.

The object-person relationship

Presenting the treasures of human existence across generations in these magical landscapes, the artist raises questions about human affection and the desire for everlasting relations between people and those objects that make up our daily life. Here we see baskets woven artfully by nature into the sand, upended boats blending into stones, the wilfully left and the purposelessly forgotten coexisting on a beach of lost dreams.

The exhibition is a site-specific installation in the Fitzrovia Chapel, a masterly baroque Grade II* listed building tucked away in the centre of the capital. The first day of the exhibition is presented as part of Open House London.

‘Challenging ideas’

Paola says: ‘The objects in Debris symbolise our inability to sometimes recover our lives in the face of irreparable events or loss. At the same time, we can possess an unspoken hope to be able to reconnect with lost things and loves. The images featured in the project dwell within this duality. Do the pictures show lost objects or familiar things that have been gathered somewhere for us to find? By questioning the destiny of objects, I’m challenging ideas about our own future.’

Faye Hughes, Artistic Director of the Fitzrovia Chapel, says, ‘Because of the grandeur of the chapel, we often attract artistic projects that coexist with the beautiful charm of the building without fighting it. Debris focuses on the ephemeral; the lost; the everyday connections of life. This vulnerability sits easily within our walls.’

Debris is open between 22 and 25 September (11:00 to 16:00 each day except the extended hours on Sunday) and entry is free. The chapel is open for Open House London on Sunday 22 September only (10:00 to 17:00).