Mal d'aria
Ca' Foscari University of Venice, in partnership with the Iuav University of Venice, the University of Padua, the University of Verona and the artist Laura Pugno, winner of the Sustainable Art Prize 2022 organized by the Universities at the ArtVerona fair, implemented the "Mal d'Aria" art project.
By benefitting from the active involvement of the university and city community, the project created, through a series of thematic meetings, a performance and a final exhibition, a space for reflection on the issues caused by air pollution not only from the medical and environmental point of view but also from the architectural, urbanistic, legal and social ones by exploring the new technologies giving us hope for possible solutions.
The project related to the main issues of the major global challenges, in line with the 17 goals of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development promoted by the UN.
Picture: graphics by Paolo Cagliero
Exhibition and publication
The exhibition, which opened on December 20th, 2023, was on display at Ca' Foscari Zattere in Venice until February 28th, 2024.
The works were on display at the University of Padua and then hosted by the University of Verona.
Once the project was over, the publication "Mal d'Aria" [ITA], a collection of contributions from teachers and students who took part in Laura Pugno's artistic initiative, was compiled. A space for reflection on the problems caused by air pollution and possible solutions related to them.
- Critical Text [ENG]
749 K
Performance
Podcast "On Air - Una particella in terapia"
As part of the “Mal d'Aria” project, a group of students created the podcast "On Air - Una particella in terapia", a 10-episodes story conceived (texts and voices) by Viola Baschirotto, Asia Benetazzo, Daniela Decaro, Sara Korolija and Sofia Nicoletto in partnership with Radio Ca' Foscari.
The 10 episodes are available on all major podcasting platforms.
The episodes tell the story of Aera, an air particle burdened by pollution, who has a lot to talk about with her therapist who will help her finally feel free and out of danger.
Project
The project evolved around the skies, by analyzing in detail one of the four fundamental elements, which also is one of our main sources of life: air. The criticality of the Italian context (especially the Po Valley) is well known, and the project, during the run-up to the exhibition, delved into the issue of air pollution by exploring the new technologies giving us hope for possible solutions.
The project dedicated to the study of pollution was conceived in order to encourage reflection on what we can still get to know and deepen on the topic, and on what human beings can concretely do to prevent this process from continuing to deteriorate more and more dramatically the living conditions in our cities.
Students involvement
The project, holding a strong educational value, had as its main objective the active involvement of university students starting from the initial organizational stages. It aimed, on the one hand, to give them the opportunity to put into practice and acquire knowledge in the artistic and organizational fields, and, on the other hand, to make them reflect on the importance of the subject.
The theme was analyzed from multiple perspectives by investigating its environmental, scientific, cultural and social aspects through participation in various activities:
- Presentation meeting
- Seminars: participation in 4 seminars, each of which was held at one of the four hosting universities, lectured by professors, researchers, and research fellows from the universities of Veneto, from mid-October to mid-November 2023.
- Workshop with the artist: students took part in the design and creation phases of the artwork (performance and exhibition) in close contact with the artist.
- Communication activities: drafting and translation of texts for the exhibition panels, documentation of the project phases with photos and videos, creation of a podcast with Radio Ca' Foscari.
- Catalog: the project catalog was created, with chapters written by students.
A certificate of participation was issued to all students in the project. For Ca’ Foscari students, the activity carried out fell within the Sustainability Competencies. Costs incurred for travel (to reach the University of Padua and University of Verona locations) and lunches, were reimbursed by the University.
Seminars photos
Images: Benedetta Canella and Paulo Isaque de Souza Pires
Workshops, performances and exhibitions photos
Laura Pugno
Born in Trivero (BI) in 1975, Laura Pugno now lives and works in Turin. Since 2003, she has been a lecturer at the IED Istituto Europeo di Design in Turin.
By adopting a critical approach toward traditional views, her research analyzes how human beings establish their relationships with the natural environment. This research is developed in processual terms, by using languages ranging from drawing to photography, sculpture and video, and by investigating the sociological and cultural factors that most influence the sensations and emotions that human beings experience in daily life and that influence their perception of the world and their behavior.
Her work focuses on natural landscape, on which a series of constructions and deconstructions overlapping different levels and aspects of the landscape, including the increasingly disturbing perspectives revealed by environmental scholars.
The goal is to produce works that offer an alternative awareness of reality, highlighting the influence deriving from cultural rules by using the world of science as a point of reference.
Last update: 25/06/2024