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'Altofest - Abitare Futuro' is turning space upside down
Altofest is the story of an original and provocative response to the theatre crisis. Faced with a continuous decline in audience numbers, in Naples, the intention was to deconstruct the idea of theatre space, and to strip it down to its bare bones, taking it to private homes. Thus, Altofest was born, a festival that brings the artist to the spectator's most intimate place and transforms their house into their home theatre.
This initiative subsequently gave rise to 'Altofest-Abitare Futuro', a special edition, conceived for Matera-Basilicata 2019, of this work-system that fits neatly into the socio-urban fabric. From 4 November to 8 December, for two weeks each, 29 artistic residencies involved the municipalities of Melfi, Venosa, Moliterno, Sarconi, Montalbano Jonico, Tursi, Tricarico, Grassano, Montescaglioso, Miglionico and Matera, to testify how much interest the internal areas of the region continue to hold for Matera 2019. Of these residencies, 27 took place in the private homes of Basilicata citizens and 2 in 'special venues': a pool hall and a school bus. Over 2,500 spectators had the opportunity to witness the staging of works by national and international artists, known in the most diverse fields, from dance to videomaking, from theatre to music.
The concept behind the whole festival was the exchange relationship between the host family and the artist. Citizens became 'space donors' whilst the artists edited their work based on the space in which they were living, and the interpersonal relationships established with the hosts. From this perspective, the family unit was a comparative element for the artist, allowing or denying the distortion of the space around and, sometimes, constituting as an integral part of the work.
This was not just because of hospitality but also constant dialogue, which reached its maximum potential in the open debates organised around the tenth day of the residency, on the eve of the artist's final performance/restitution. In these moments of exchange, it was highlighted how, quite unexpectedly, the residencies stimulated a common aesthetic reflection on the performances and on the act of restitution itself.
It now remains to be seen what precious heritage 'Altofest-Abitare Futuro' has created in terms of relationships and the building of communities and, above all, how not to waste their potential.
Gardentopia, the legacy of a new utopia
The cycle of 32 artistic residencies of the Gardentopia project, located in 26 municipalities throughout the region, has come to an end.
In total, there were 3800 participants, 2850 trees and plants put in the ground, 64 workshops and 14 redeveloped gardens. In addition, 13 patches were allocated to individual citizens and 7 to public schools, while as many as 14 performances were held (including performative installations, theatre, dance and music). There were also 4 meetings with all the Municipalities and gardens involved (the 'Green Night', as well as the 3 Gardentopia Days). The results of the project are summarised in 4 original publications and 2 films.
But beyond the figures, which report the project's success in the most direct and flattering way, it is useful to reflect on the legacy of a process like Gardentopia.
Starting from the '4 gardens' pilot that was initiated in 2016 (Agoragri, Pascoli and Giardino dei Momenti in Matera; Boschetto Orizzontale in Potenza), the aim was to replicate the experience of proactive sharing of a public asset throughout the Basilicata region. Thanks to the profile of the resident artists, the outcome exceeded all expectations, triggering a dynamic that could be summarised with the expression 'bidirectional knowledge', which refers to a continuous exchange between the citizens' own knowledge of the region and the artists' ability to create a new ideal.
Evidence of the intense work behind Gardentopia remains, leaving behind a utopia that has opened up new horizons for public spaces by experimenting with innovative practices that bring citizens together.
What appears to be clear and which, most probably, constitutes the most tangible result of the path started by Gardentopia in 2019, is that the citizens, having taken on board some spatial awareness skills, have succeeded in transforming the suggestions given to them by the artists into real practices that they have carried out independently. In this context, the central theme and consequently the project's most important legacy is participation as a constant practice of direct interaction with public heritage.
Essenza Lucano
- Project Leader/Coproduzione/Ecc.:
Co-produced by
Amaro Lucano - Immagine progetto:
It might seem like the beginning of a fairytal e set in a faraway land, but it really is going to happen, in Pisticci, in 2019. Essenza will be a place, a house, where visitors can immerse themselves in an interactive experience inspired by the world of Amaro Lucano, Essential Partner of Matera: European Capital of Culture 2019.
Matera 3019
- Project Leader/Coproduzione/Ecc.:
Co-produced by
Teatro delle Forche e Scuola Open Source_SOS - Immagine progetto:
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- Artists:
Giancarlo Luce
Erika Grillo
Giorgio Consoli, Andrea Dellai, Erika Grillo, Ermelinda Nasuto, Chiara Petillo, Fabio Zullino
Walter Pulpito
Mino Notaristefano, Vincenzo Dipierro
Alessandro Colazzo - Evento:
- Campo aggiuntivo 5:
Open Source School:
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Curator: Gianluigi Gherzi
500 years ago Thomas More wrote Utopia. It’s time now to imagine a new world.
Here the idea of a project able to listen to the words and suggestions of youngsters, coming from Italy and Europe, working on the growing divide between the virtual world of digital and the corporeal one of reality.