Alchemy of a New Way of Living Together @Periferico Festival

DESCRIPTION //

In November 2021 our team of HER: She Loves Data (comprising Salvatore Iaconesi, Oriana Persico, Daniele Bucci, Cecilia Marotta and myself) has been invited for a 4 days Artist-in-residence program by Periferico Festival in Modena. This opportunity allowed us to engage in a profound collaborative design workshop, centered around the principles of Nuovo Abitare (New Living) – a concept theorized in 2020 during pandemic time.

Nuovo Abitare represents the contemporary human condition, wherein people need to engage with the mediation of data and computation in order to enjoy their rights and freedoms, to relate to each other, express themselves, self-represent and communicate.

Our exploration during the residency led to the creation of a performance titled “The Evolutionary Dance of the New Living“, which took place on the last day at the OvestLab spaces generously provided by Amigdala Collective:

• The immersive environment was thoughtfully designed, featuring a main stage and several chairs for the audience participating in the “ritual”. A mesmerazing visualization of waves, syncronized with an electronic melody, adorned the wall behind the stage, setting the mood for the experience.
• Each participant was seated with a sheet containing a QR code and brief instructions. By scanning the code, they gained access to a web page with the texts elaborating on the principles of Nuovo Abitare. They were given a mindful 10 minutes to read, reflect, and feel whether those words resonated with their own autobiographical experiences.
• Unbeknownst to the audience, we were sitting incognito among them, initially leaving the stage empty. As the performance progressed, we took turns stepping onto the stage and shared theatrical narratives that intertwined our personal experiences with data and computation.
• At the end of the ritual we revealed that the city itself had contributed to the performance through data. In fact, the electronic melody and the projected imagery were composed using open data related to the ground vibrations in the Modena area.
• The conclusion of the performance was followed by an intense open discussion with the participants, delving deeper into the ideas and emotions stirred by the experience.

Overall, our time as Artists-in-residence allowed us to delve into the profound realm of Nuovo Abitare and create a performance that not only engaged the audience but also harmonized human experiences with the city’s own voice.