2016
Live Performance by Marta Lodola. Duration 2 hours 30 minutes. Materials: Italian Constitution printed on paper, one white candle, fire, tolerance for pain.
It is time to read, understand, and take a stand. Let’s focus on the sense of the words and compare it with the reality. A careful reading of Italian Constitution articles, especially in this historical and political moment, reveals a complete incongruity observing what is actually happening. The events of the Italian chronicles are the perfect example as this text, that should be the clear model of Italian citizens rights and duties, is in reality a realized paradox. On paper individual freedom is inviolable. Citizens rights are equal in front of the law, and there are no distinctions of sex, race, religion and political views. We know that these distinctions and inequalities are real and they become visible more and more. I see my country in extreme danger, a marvelous place, crib of the art strongly defaced by the affairs and by the political business. I look at my beloved earth, and I am sad. The Action consists in reading and burning, one after another Italian Constitution Articles. In my left hand I hold a candle and using my right hand I will take, one after another, the articles printed on every single sheet. Every article gets burnt before its reading so the fire sets the time and dangerously challenge to read more and more. Reading every article implicates two factors: the risk to suffer a physical damage and at the same time the risk of a limited comprehension of the words during theirs reading. Risking to be misunderstood or risking to suffer a physical pain due to knowledge, is a compromise that leads to take a stand.
Time to read is now!
ph Luisa Catucci and Barbara LeBéguec-Friedman