MĀYĀ - From Matter to Presence
Art, cacao, sound and time in an immersive experience of slowing down, listening and connection.
About the Project
MĀYĀ emerged from the encounter between artist Carlo Brunelli and master chocolatier Manuel Marzari.
What began as a shared fascination for transformation gradually evolved into an artistic collaboration centred around cacao as a living material.
For Manuel, cacao is more than an ingredient. It is a substance that requires attention, patience and care. A material that reveals itself only through time.
These qualities resonated deeply with Carlo’s artistic research, which explores the relationship between nature, process and the human experience of slowing down.
From this affinity, MĀYĀ was born: an immersive environment where cacao, art, sound, light and human presence could converge into a shared experience.
Rather than presenting an artwork to observe, MĀYĀ invited people to enter a space where perception could shift, where time could expand and where the senses could become a gateway to deeper awareness.
The Experience
The installation unfolded through a series of immersive environments inspired by the journey of cacao itself: from raw matter to transformation, from process to presence.
Darkness, scent, texture, sound, temperature and light became part of a carefully crafted landscape where visitors were invited to slow down and explore through direct experience.
During intimate evening gatherings, the installation was activated through the presence of artists, performers and musicians, creating unique encounters where every experience was shaped by the people participating.
Over time, MĀYĀ also opened its doors to families, children, educators and visitors of all ages, offering opportunities to engage with the project through play, exploration and sensory discovery.
Whether through an immersive evening, a family visit or an educational activity, the intention remained the same:
to create a protected space where people could reconnect with themselves, with others and with the living world around them.
A Living Collaboration
Throughout its development, MĀYĀ became a collaborative field involving artists, performers, educators, families and visitors.
Sound, movement, storytelling, conversation and participation all became part of the experience.
Rather than presenting a fixed narrative, the project created conditions for meaningful encounters to emerge.
Each person contributed to the atmosphere and became part of the work itself.
Edition 0
MĀYĀ — Edition 0 took shape between April and May 2026 in Verona as the first public manifestation of an ongoing artistic research.
Through a series of immersive evenings, open visits and educational experiences, the project explored the relationship between matter, time, transformation and human connection.
Edition 0 established the foundations of a process that continues to evolve through new collaborations, new audiences and new forms of participation.
An Ongoing Journey
MĀYĀ is not intended as a fixed format or a finished work.
It is a living process.
A first evolution of the project, MĀYĀ — Edition 1, is currently being developed for autumn 2026, expanding the possibilities of the experience while remaining rooted in the values that inspired its origin.
As with all projects within wʌn — WE ART NATURE, each edition becomes a new chapter, shaped by the people involved, the relationships that emerge and the questions that arise along the way.
Key Information
Project: MĀYĀ — Edition 0
Dates: April – May 2026
Location: wʌn experience place, via G. Carducci 24 - Verona, Italy
Created and directed by: Carlo Brunelli
In collaboration with: Manuel Marzari
Graphic Design: Lisa Olivieri
Sound experience: Lorenzo Lucchese
Light design: Marcello Colli
Photography: Raphael Alvez
Part of: wʌn — WE ART NATURE
Format: Immersive installation and participatory experience
Audience: Adults, families, children, educators and cultural professionals
With Gratitude
MĀYĀ emerged through relationships.
Relationships with people, materials, places and the countless conversations that helped shape its form.
Special thanks to Manuel Marzari, whose love for cacao and dedication to his craft inspired the very origin of this project.
To Domori, for generously providing cacao beans, jute and materials that became part of the installation itself.
To Marmi e Graniti Alberti, for their support and contribution.
To Laura Losada, whose voice brought another layer of presence and emotion to the experience.
To Stephanie Niño, for her cultural contribution, generosity and meaningful presence.
To Jean Sarkis for being the most authentic human connecting presence.
And to every person who stepped into MĀYĀ.
Your attention, curiosity and willingness to slow down became part of the work.
Because experiences like these are never created by one person alone.
They emerge through relationships.