Abitante
2022
installation-performance
performer: Alice Tagliaferri
100% cotton fabric dyed with Hypericum and walnut husk, mother-of-pearl buttons
sound 4.00'
Born during the artistic residency Falia in Lozio, Abitante is a work that explores the intricate human interactions with the natural environment through dance, fabrics dyed with natural pigments, and mother-of-pearl buttons. Guided by the dancer Alice Tagliaferri, a native of Lozio, this work leverages her body as an expressive medium to narrate a timeless story.
Abitante, as both the title and pivotal concept of the work, places humanity at the centre as inhabitants and custodians of this world. The performance weaves the continuity of human actions through the centuries. Alice dances among fabrics sourced from Lozio's residents, dyed with local plants like St. John's Wort and walnut hulls. These fabrics become tangible symbols of the profound connection between humanity and the earth, with various shades ranging from vivid tones of nature to earthy hues that narrate the devastation caused by the European spruce bark beetle in Lozio.
The mother-of-pearl buttons, inherited from an ancient local button factory, play a crucial role in the performance. They become tools through which the dancer alters the configuration of the fabrics during her dance, symbolically revealing human interactions that can influence the balance of the natural world. This symbolic manipulation highlights the power and responsibility of each of us within the surrounding environment.
The setting in the abandoned quarry of Sommaprada transforms the stage into a living testimony of the alteration of a place shaped by its inhabitants. Inviting the audience to immerse themselves in this experience, Abitante prompts deep reflection on the past, present, and future. It underscores the role of everyone as inhabitants of this Planet, emphasizing the profound impact of our actions.