Trasformatorio

Federico Bonelli

Trasformatorio is about settling and developing an annual laboratory for performative arts in a remote community in Sicily: Montelbano Elicona (province Messina). This laboratory focuses on development of innovative site-specific performances and theatre installations, in close connection with the landscape, history and traditions of the people of Montalbano.

A group of international artists, from various disciplines is invited and selected to participate in workshops and initiate projects within the community and its surrounding landscape. Main challenge to the artists is to go ‘back’ to the basic questions of performative arts in this specific place: ‘what can we be aware of here and transform into a vital work; a work that shares/communicates a pure reflection on what is present for us here?’ The topic of sustainability, both of natural landscape and cultural life, follows directly and organically on these basic questions. Awareness of the place and local culture is artistic starting point. The ‘transformations’ that we seek, are meant to enrich the cultural exchange of both the local people and the visiting artists. Artistically ‘reading‘ a place means in our project: taking care of the place. Therefore we explicitly connect research of sustainability in site-specific performative arts to the artistic research.