Finalist of the Broomhill Sculpture Prize

Claudia Borgna

Friday 7 September 2012

MY NEW RESIDENCY AT CASA DIDUN IN DOLCEDO


So, finally, after many many years of dreaming and talking, I have moved into Casa Didun: my new Artist residency.
Last Monday me and my bags have settled into the Green house with the plan to take it over, fill it all up and even spill out and about the surrounding grounds. The land there is definitely generous and abundant!

I feel that the goal of my role at Casa Didun is to open up the space for other artists whilst making art accessible to the local community that have also been left out by the art's world ambitions and that often ignore what artist like myself fret about.
Contemporary art is often a remote and unknown area in the reality of everyday italian village life. Ironically it is in places like Dolcedo that many artists choose to come on holiday or to live in.
Despite all the occasional art exhibitions that spring up here and there, the locals are never really part of them. Their lack of interest, of education and of exposure to contemporary art seems to continuously clash with the hermetic art world. A conservative search for security, peace of mind and comfort in beauty, is a very typical  attitude of many Italians which does not help resolving certain diversities other than accentuating them instead.
Most art events are then mainly organized and curated by foreigners so that the language acts as another barrier, making it even more unaccessible.
Often also the imponent ancient art treasures that are all around, really everywhere, and that are quasi genetically embedded into italian life style, tend to take over and are a blockage for contemporary art to seep in.

So this would be an opportunity to bridge the two worlds, for everybody to enjoy and understand art while reflecting on the future of local agriculture and therefore make it their own new world.

In another way me and my bags are starting the dances to set up the mood for the next art projects to come. My work's function is to be an open call to invite local and international artists to use and be inspired by this unique space in many new creative ways and to dwell and research the matters of land, art and of agriculture and on how these effect the quality of our lives. Agriculture being the ancient first step into what is now our contemporary culture.

This space like most spaces is tied up to a deep spiritual, emotional and personal attachment, not just from my part but especially for Monica and her family. It is Monica's explicit wish that all artists invited to work at Casa Didun use their time to investigate on the theme of agriculture and to develop innovative concepts, ideas, links and art works on the meaning of agriculture in today's society and on how to bridge the local to the global and vice-versa.

Personally, Monica's invite and hospitality is an opportunity not only to crown a life long friendship but also to bring and share with her and her daughters: Sophie and Tea my world that until last week seemed so far away from here and from them.

I hope that the learnings and experience gathered while travelling around can benefit all.  They are definitely at the service of this project and of the community! I am already looking forward to all the new things I will learn through this new venture!

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