When The Eagle Was Chained Between the Pillars
Sara Levarato

29 - 31 MAY 2026

This exhibition collects several different pieces from the work “Non Ultra Metas”, which play with the historical and contemporary iconography connected to the motto “Plus Ultra” (Latin for “further beyond, surpassing one’s limits”). Coined by the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V, Plus Ultra is also the decorative motif of the Mar-a-Lago residence of Donald Trump. The video installation and sculptures take inspiration from, and create a counternarrative to the motto, taking as a starting point the 1552 Siege of Metz, in which the city’s defenders mocked Charles V with a banner reading Non Ultra Metas (“not beyond Metz” and “not beyond limits”), accompanied by an image of the imperial eagle chained between the pillars. Through a speculative reinterpretation that intertwines history, philosophy, and pop culture, the work plays with the images used by “further beyond” ideologies.

Sara Levarato is an Italian media artist based in Rotterdam whose practice centers around CGI-based visual storytelling, presented through video installations and 3D-printed materializations. Her work is grounded in a research-based approach combined with an intuitive and experimental use of digital techniques. Her topics revolve around the internalization of technological processes, digitization, and means of self-optimization.

The pieces developed for the exhibition have been kindly supported by CBK Rotterdam.