Simbiosi
Simbiosi meta-residency is a project intended to unfold over a three-year development. The first year (2023) focused on analyzing and researching practices, methodologies, tools, and structures to enable the design group to create a new format for the management and direction of an artistic residency. This was accomplished by organizing a training program consisting of 17 masterclasses with the theme "rethinking the role of art in the contemporary context." The intention was to approach this journey through the involvement of various experts, analyzing it from multiple perspectives. The interdisciplinary approach aims to provide tools and methodologies for rethinking the very meaning of an artistic residency. The training program's purpose is to collectively build critical thinking and practical tools to address contemporary issues in relation to the role that art can and should play. All masterclasses were open to the public but primarily aimed at educating the design group, which dedicated this year to building methodologies, tools, critical references, and structures to apply in the two upcoming years. The masterclasses were conducted in two formats, online and in-person, all of which were public, recorded, broadcasted, and archived online.
They will be available on a dedicated web page within the Piedicavallo Festival website, free for interested audiences. The program featured guest speakers: Donatella Savio, Juan Sandoval, Paolo Naldini, Armona Pistoletto, Cosè Louis Carles, Cristina Baldacci, Giovanni Semi, Jacopo Miliani, Federico Sacchi, Jacopo Tomatis, Sabrina Bonomi, Pietra Tonale, Danilo Eccher, Rachel Rice, Pietro Pingitore, Matteo Savoldelli, and Stefania Manzo. Based on an analysis of what was learned during the on-site stay and the training program, the residency's output focused on the theme of "Subterraneity." The critical analysis of the experience revealed the existence of underground and unseen networks not visible to the public but vital to the development of Piedicavallo Festival and its relationship with the territory. This temporary community was formed by people from diverse backgrounds who dedicated themselves to the festival's realization for a month. With this community as the reference group, the focus shifted to the interaction with the festival's organizing team and the friendships formed with volunteers.
Based on these foundations, a final performance was created, centered around "rethinking the role of art in the contemporary context," but with a contextual and internal perspective of the festival. The performance was structured to combine transdisciplinarity, responsiveness to the territory, and horizontal collaboration, with the aim of reflecting the theoretical discussions during the residency and providing a practical embodiment of those ideas.
Residency
17.07.2023 20.08.2023
Piedicavallo, Biella, Italy.
Sotterranea APS
Piedicavallo Festival 2023
EU Solidarity Corps
●Guest → Donatella Savio, Juan Sandoval, Paolo Naldini, Armona Pistoletto, Cosè Louis Carles, Cristina Baldacci, Giovanni Semi, Jacopo Miliani, Federico Sacchi, Jacopo Tomatis, Sabrina Bonomi, Pietra Tonale, Danilo Eccher, Rachel Rice, Pietro Pingitore, Matteo Savoldelli, and Stefania Manzo. ●Photo → Ugo Gattini (Mattia Angelini)