Self sufficient topography

A voyage through old traditional crafts in a site specific state of mind.

Sardinia , 2022 - 2023

I invite you to join me on a journey through time and scenery across the island of Sardinia.

Locals have for thousands of years made maximum use of local resources.

In this journey, we will rely on manual labour with site specific resources in our creation process;  we will delve deeply into the self and the space.

Through an encounter with a primordial and humble place, which may seem poor in means but rich in philosophy and knowledge of creation, we will connect to our personal creation.

As in previous trips and workshops that I lead,  here too, we will explore the self-typography, the work of the body.  We will correspond with space and matter to refine our creative processes.

About the journey:

One of the symbols of Sardinia is the shepherd.  The concept of "the shepherd" is a central figure in our journey.

The working human leads a herd to graze in a typography that nature has created on the island.

Sardinia is a modest and isolated place, and its people are known to be self-sufficient in making maximum use of resources available to them on this island.

They are in constant dialogue with the land and the weather, which changes according to the seasons.

The local culture is shaped by this way of life.

The shepherd is at all times paying attention to his environment and its conditions.

Like him, we too will create our dialogue with the environment and local conditions.

The Sardinians developed simple production techniques without looking outwards to complicated technology or academic tools.

They are attentive to the earth and are sensitive to its environments, with resourcefulness and dignity.

Hence, their artistic thinking is driven by practicality.  

This practical aspect will accompany us in our thinking and artistic performance. We will resort to using materials that are available around us.

On this journey, we will get to know the folklore of this island from ancient times to the present day.

We will learn how the local population developed. We will meet prominent artisans of the island from textile and weaving crafts, to baking, to working with cork trees and other cultural areas.

The main workshop led by myself will take place throughout the entire stay on the island.

After visits to local artisans, we will devote time to independent work in the work space that will be available to us, and we will draw inspiration from the breathtaking nature of the island, which will serve as a stage for our creations.

Each participant will prepare a personal travel diary that will document impressions, objects, memories, tastes, smells and so on... The diary will be a multidimensional map that will be our own personal typography.

We will work independently, but we will learn from one another, hence, also collaboratively.

On this journey, we will use various digital means to accompany the diary for documentation, which will allow us to also create through performance and body works.

The workshop will delve through the eyes of the shepherd and the herd. In the dynamics and open dialogue between these power relations and in open work, we will delve into three main concepts : net, vessel and house/home.