No one is an island
A gathering around joining forces in view of an uncertain future

The current exhibition at Istituto Svizzero, Poetry for Revolutions, brings together artists that interrogate the role of art and its position in view of sociopolitical and environmental crises. No One Is an Island follows up on these strands of thought and asks about concrete approaches to taking action. Based on an ongoing exchange between the Institute for Contemporary Art Research of the Zurich University of the Arts (ZHdK) and Rome-based curator and activist Sara Alberani (LOCALES, Mediterranea Saving Humans), the event revolves around realities of migration, climate collapse, and vulnerable territories and communities. The urgencies posed by these realities call for action and solidarity, and they challenge us to overcome an intellectual and institutional culture which separates research and theory from practices, and struggles to support grassroots and self-organized transformative processes. How can we join forces instead? What approaches can we share and develop to face a future that otherwise leaves little space for hope?  

As part of the Art-Science series curated by Gioia Dal Molin, Head curator, and Maria Böhmer, Head of Science, Istituto Svizzero invites to the two-days event dedicated to the merging of artistic and scientific approaches through ‘transformative research’, and the importance of taking action in view of multiple crises.

The event includes a public talk and discussion on 30.11.2023, and a participatory workshop on 01.12.2023. 

DAY 1
Border Forensic – Documenting and contesting the violence of borders

30.11.2023 H17:30-19:30
Istituto Svizzero
Via Ludovisi 48, Rome
Free entrance, register here

Charles Heller, director of the Border Forensics research and investigation agency, introduces and discusses the critical forensic practice he and his colleagues have sought to lead over the last years in the aim of documenting and contesting the changing modalities of border violence across the Europe’s multifarious borders, with a particular focus on the Mediterranean Sea. Reflecting upon Border Forensics’s practice and that of other actors engaged in solidarity with migrants, Heller reflects upon the following questions: How have the different forms of contestation shaped border violence over the last years? What have been their successes and limits? In addition to factual documentation and litigation, what other forms of action are necessary to effectively oppose border violence and enable the exercise of freedom of movement? And what role can aesthetic practices play within these?

H17:30 ― Maria Böhmer, Gioia Dal Molin, Institutional greetings

H17:35 ― Marcel Bleuler, Introduction, From dialogical aesthetics to ‘transformative research’

H17:50 ― Charles Heller, Public lecture, Border Forensic – Documenting and contesting the violence of borders

Followed by responses by political philosopher and activist Giorgio Grappi, Chiara Denaro, Researcher at Liminal, Department of the Arts, University of Bologna and Mahamat Daoud Abderasoul, activist with the Refugees in Libya movement.

DAY 2
Living in a very present future

01.12.2023 H14:30-19:00
Istituto Svizzero
Via Ludovisi 48, Rome
Free entrance, register here – limited capacity of seats, if unable to attend please notify at: press@istitutosvizzero.it

With the participation of Noor Abed, Veronica Pecile, Ultima Generazione.

The witness of voices from vulnerable territories and communities have given a sense for the future scenarios we will experience. In this perennial presence of crisis, it has become clear that official policies are inadequate to stand with those impacted most. From this perspective, the uncertain future that requires us to join forces has arrived, and it is time to gather diverse experiences and skills. How can we create public attention and act up for social justice? What experiences can we build on to initiate self-organized communal structures and to foster resilience? The participatory discussion event is organized around multiple approaches to questions communities and ecosystems at risk, and possible ways to take action. The participants are invited to gather in subgroups with the artists and activists involved around these questions, and exchange knowledge, practices while exercising imagination and building counter narratives.

The workshop is curated and led by Sara Alberani (LOCALES, Mediterranea Saving Humans), Marcel Bleuler and Laura von Niederhäusern (both Institute for Contemporary Art Research, ZHdK).

H14:30 ― Laura von Niederhäusern, Introduction on Speculative future scenarios

H14:45 ― Sara Alberani, A Desert of water

H15:00 ― Marcel Bleuler, Introduction to the programme

H15:15 ― Presentation by Ultima Generazione 

H15:35 ― Presentation by Veronica Pecile 

H15:55 ― Presentation by Noor Abed

H16:15 ― Coffee break

H16:30 ― Discussion subgroups, led by Noor Abed, Veronica Pecile, Ultima Generazione

H17:30 ― Collective final discussion

H18:30 ― Aperitif

The event may be photographed and/or video recorded for archival, educational, and related promotional purposes. By attending this event, you are giving your consent to be photographed and/or video recorded.