Carlotta Schiavio aka YaTii Talisman — An artistic journey of imagination, harmony, and peace
The Mt Kenya Times 
Carlotta Schiavio aka YaTii Talisman
By: Anila Bukhari
Carlotta Schiavio, internationally known by her artistic name YaTii Talisman, is a visionary multidisciplinary artist whose work is deeply rooted in imagination, spirituality, cultural diversity, and the universal pursuit of peace. Born in Italy and raised in Ethiopia, Schiavio grew up surrounded by a rich blend of Italian, Russian, Syrian, Austrian, and Ethiopian cultural influences. This extraordinary multicultural background has played an important role in shaping her artistic identity, worldview, and creative language. Her remarkable artistic journey has earned her recognition as a recipient of the Extraordinary Talent in the Arts Visa, celebrating her exceptional contribution and talent within the arts.
Carlotta’s creative journey began with an interest in jewelry design before gradually evolving toward painting around 1998. What began as an exploration of visual expression soon became a lifelong artistic vocation. Over the years, her artistic odyssey has taken her across different countries, cultures, techniques, and mediums, allowing her to develop a distinctive visual language guided strongly by intuition and experimentation. Today, she works as a full-time artist, continuing to expand the imaginative universe she created through her art.
One of the most significant milestones in Carlotta’s career came in January 2022, when her work became part of a prestigious permanent exhibition at the National Library “Abrehot” in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The exhibition represents an important connection between her artistic journey, her relationship with Ethiopia, and her enduring desire to use art as a means of communication, inspiration, and cultural connection.
In the year 2000, Carlotta created the imaginative realm of Planet YaTii, a concept that would later develop into the larger artistic universe known as YaTii Talisman. This fictional celestial world became a powerful source of inspiration, allowing her to explore themes of harmony, positivity, protection, and peaceful coexistence through visual storytelling.
Her series “Stars Up Close” captures the vibrant skies and imaginative landscapes of YaTii Talisman, inviting viewers to experience a world beyond the boundaries of everyday reality. Another important body of work, “Apotropaic Magic,” explores the idea of protection through artistic shields designed to repel negative energies. Through these works, Carlotta combines symbolism, imagination, and visual experimentation to create art that carries emotional and conceptual meaning.
In 2011, Carlotta created the portable painting YaTii Talisman, an artwork designed to accompany its possessor and inspire boundless positivity. The piece was created on handmade cotton paper that was sun-dried in Sicily, Italy, reflecting her connection to traditional materials and the natural world. Her original technique involved sewing different sections of the artwork together, creating a visual metaphor for equilibrium and balance.
Her artistic philosophy continued to evolve. In 2018, Carlotta made a significant transformation in her technique by choosing to paint on whole surfaces rather than continue stitching separate sections together. She viewed this artistic change metaphorically, comparing it to shedding an ill-fitting garment and moving toward a more authentic form of expression.
During her residency in Ethiopia in 2019, while involved with the Abrehot Library initiative, Carlotta developed another symbolic body of work. She painted discs of eucalyptus wood with expressive eyes, representing an omnipresent gaze associated with protection, awareness, and vigilance. These works further demonstrate her ability to transform ordinary materials into objects carrying imaginative and symbolic significance.
In 2020, Carlotta introduced one of her most distinctive creations: the Bugibatuki, mysterious and benevolent beings inhabitants of planet YaTii Talisman. Created with a strong message of peace and well-being, the Bugibatuki possess a remarkable ability to resolve conflicts positively without interrogation or judgment. According to Carlottas imaginative universe, these celestial beings land in water basins around Earth, where they encounter different communities and cultures.
The Bugibatuki are instantly recognizable by their large eyes and computerized mouths, which enable them to communicate across interstellar boundaries. Their purpose extends beyond fantasy: they serve as imaginative ambassadors of intercultural dialogue, cooperation, positivity, and peaceful conflict resolution. Through these characters, Carlotta creates a playful yet meaningful bridge between the fantastical and the real world, encouraging curiosity, connection, and more harmonious human relationships.
Her artistic universe expanded again in 2023, when she began exploring literature and collaborative storytelling. Working with fellow creatives, Carlotta created her first book centered on the Bugibatuki and the importance of water conservation. Combining imagination with meaningful themes, the book introduces young readers to environmental awareness while encouraging communication, cooperation, and peace.
The first Bugibatuki book, “Bugibatuki Watershed Awareness,” was published in December 2024. The project expanded the Bugibatuki from visual artworks into a broader storytelling universe capable of reaching new audiences through literature. Alongside the book, Carlotta developed a collection of greeting cards featuring the distinctive and whimsical Bugibatuki characters.
Today, the YaTii Talisman universe continues to grow through digital creativity and merchandise. Carlotta has established two online Bugibatuki merchandise shops, one on Redbubble and another on Printify, both operating under the name YaTii Talisman. These platforms allow audiences around the world to engage with and carry elements of her imaginative artistic world into their everyday lives.
Carlotta’s artistic journey is ultimately a story of continual transformation. From jewelry design to painting, from symbolic objects to an entire fictional planet, and from visual art to children’s literature, she has consistently followed her intuition and allowed her imagination to guide her creative evolution. Through YaTii Talisman and the Bugibatuki, she has created a unique artistic language centered on positivity, protection, intercultural understanding, and peace.
Her work demonstrates how art can transcend geographical and cultural boundaries, creating spaces where imagination can inspire dialogue and where fantasy can carry powerful messages for the real world. Through every painting, character, story, and creative experiment, Schiavio continues to invite audiences to imagine a more harmonious world—one where differences can coexist, challenges can be approached with positivity, and creativity can become a pathway toward peace.
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