1. The project is born out of the awareness of an ongoing atomization in the current setting of the world. We live in a fractured time, where life is increasingly structured around fleeting, consumable moments. Life is often atomised, individualised, driven by forces non-conducive to the flourishing of - at least certain - aspects of humanity.
As a curator, artist and researcher in art transformation, I firmly believe in art being, at its core, a vehicle for deep questioning and evolution, and, nonetheless, the most vital tool we have for restoring this connection.Yet, in an era where attention is fragmented and time is commodified, the way we engage with art has changed. Artworks are often consumed quickly, or presented in the same, predictable formats, creating a barrier to meaningful engagement.
As a curator, artist and researcher in art transformation, I firmly believe in art being, at its core, a vehicle for deep questioning and evolution, and, nonetheless, the most vital tool we have for restoring this connection.Yet, in an era where attention is fragmented and time is commodified, the way we engage with art has changed. Artworks are often consumed quickly, or presented in the same, predictable formats, creating a barrier to meaningful engagement.
3. A note: this is not a theoretical research project. When it comes to creation, theory can lead to an emptiness of meaning. As a curator, I aim to learn to create experiences that enable transformation, personally understood as connection, to the self, others and the world; the way I interpret transformation, just like the way I will apply such concept into my practice is personal and unique, a reason why I approach curation as an artistic practice. Art is experiential.
The research is structured through alternating phases of immersion and application into exhibitions and performances that will allow me to put my learnings into practice. Some of these exhibitions will feature my own artistic production, some won’t, depending on the model adopted in each phase, which can therefore be regarded as its own, independent, project.
The research is structured through alternating phases of immersion and application into exhibitions and performances that will allow me to put my learnings into practice. Some of these exhibitions will feature my own artistic production, some won’t, depending on the model adopted in each phase, which can therefore be regarded as its own, independent, project.
2. To restore this depth takes the ability to create alternative spaces of being—spaces that encourage immersion, contemplation, and a shift in perception. When a space is designed with care, and art is presented in a way that invites lingering, transformation becomes inevitable. This transformation isn’t about changing minds; it is about reconnecting—to oneself, to others, to the environment, and to the essence of existence itself. Easier said than done.
Based on the theories of Schechner and Turner, Chul-Han, among others, my long-term vision is to integrate the elements of ritual that enable a sense of liminality and communitas (cfr Turner, Scechner) in curatorial practices to create deep contemporary artistic experiences. By studying and understanding these elements outside the constraints of our current system, I aim to uncover ways to reclaim what has been eroded and, in doing so, redefine the role of art in fostering genuine connection.
1 _ On prayer and art, and the extraordinary in the ordinary
The first phase focuses on forms of prayer and ritual in an Islamic context and their connection to the artistic experience This project is realized in collaboration with the Seldon Institute of Chicago and will mostly take place in Cairo, Egypt
More out soon