The artist Leonardo Passeri, standing next to Justice Machine
Leonardo Passeri
acrylic and enamel on panel
78 ¾ x 51 ¼ x 1 ½ in
Further images
Justice Machine presents the idea of "system as an autonomous force"—an structure that governs existence through the act of judgment.
At its centre stands a monumental golden figure, not human but mechanical in nature, embodying a device of evaluation. It does not simply measure; it delivers decisions, asserting authority over outcomes.
On either side, two opposing conditions unfold. One descends, associated with weight, accumulation, and confinement. Beneath it, clustered figures suggest those who have been judged and contained within a diminished state. In contrast, the other side rises upward, signifying elevation and the possibility of transition into a higher condition of being.
Below the central axis, a reclining body releases a soul-like form, evoking a moment of transformation—where judgment separates the physical from the non-physical. This passage is marked by a diamond-shaped structure that functions as both threshold and boundary, dividing two states of existence while also connecting them.
The work ultimately poses a fundamental question: can such a system ever be truly just, or is it inherently flawed? Within "Urbenica", judgment persists as a defining force, yet its legitimacy remains unresolved.

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