LANDSCAPES FOR HOLIDAYS
A FESTIVAL ON LANDSCAPE AND MASS TOURISMBEYOND HOLIDAYS
44.0861° N, 9.8925° E
23-25 JUNE 2023
BEYOND HOLIDAYS WAS AN EXHIBITION OF LANDSCAPE AND CONTEMPORARY ART IN THE VILLAGE OF SAN TERENZO (LA SPEZIA) FROM 23 TO 25 JUNE 2023. THE EVENT IS ORGANISED BY THE MINISTRY OF CULTURE - REGIONAL DIRECTORATE MUSEUMS LIGURIA AND LANDSCAPES FOR HOLIDAYS.
WHY LFH
REPRESENTING A LANDSCAPE IS NOT A NEUTRAL ACT. A PAINTING, A POST, A PHOTO OR A POSTCARD ARE TRANSPOSITIONS OF THE BOND BETWEEN THE MAKER AND WHAT HE OBSERVES. IT IS THIS BOND THAT GIVES MEANING TO OUR BEING IN A PLACE AND THAT GIVES US THE POSSIBILITY TO CALL IT LANDSCAPE. IN ORDER TO CONFORM AN AREA TO OUR EXPECTATIONS, ARTIFICIAL BEACHES ARE BUILT, MARINE AND COASTAL ECOSYSTEMS ARE ALTERED, ROADS AND BRIDGES ARE BUILT ON THE COAST, A BARRIER OF BATHING ESTABLISHMENTS IS ERECTED TO CLOSE OFF ACCESS TO THE SEA. ALL THESE CHANGES ARE LINKED TO HOW WE INTERPRET A LANDSCAPE AND CONSEQUENTLY HOW WE REPRESENT IT IN ORDER TO COMMUNICATE IT.
BEYOND HOLIDAYS EXPLORES THE MEANING OF LANDSCAPE REPRESENTATIONS. NINE ARTISTIC AND RESEARCH PROJECTS INVESTIGATE HOW A PLACE CAN BE INTERPRETED AND COMMUNICATED OUTSIDE THE EXTRACTIVE LOGIC OF TOURISM, OF POSTCARD AESTHETICS. A PROCESS OF LISTENING, REFLECTION AND DIALOGUE DESIGNED TO BREAK OUT OF ESTABLISHED PATTERNS OF INTERPRETATION AND EXPLORE NEW WAYS OF IMAGINING AND RELATING TO THE LANDSCAPE.
THE EXHIBITION AND FESTIVAL STARTED WITH A PREPARATORY STUDY BY ADORA CONDUCTED ON THE VILLAGE OF SAN TERENZO. THROUGH A SERIES OF PARTICIPATORY WORKSHOPS A TEAM OF ARTISTS AND DESIGNERS EXPLORED THE SPACES OF SAN TERENZO TOGETHER WITH ITS INHABITANTS, BRINGING TO LIGHT THE TIES THAT BUILD THE LANDSCAPE OF THIS COMMUNITY, AS OPPOSED TO TOURIST NARRATIVES.
THIS MAP HAS BEEN DIGITISED TO BECOME A COUNTER-IMAGE OF THE RICHNESS OF THIS LANDSCAPE BEYOND ITS SEASIDE INTERPRETATION.
FROM FRIDAY 23 TO SUNDAY 25 JUNE, THE CASTLE, AND THE STREETS OF SAN TERENZO, WILL BE THE VENUE FOR ARTISTS, DESIGNERS AND RESEARCHERS WITH INSTALLATIONS, WORKSHOPS AND TALKS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.
SITE
SAN TERENZO IS A HISTORIC VILLAGE ON LIGURIA'S COASTLINE. ITS PROXIMITY TO THE FAMOUS CINQUE TERRE AND ITS FAST MOTORWAY CONNECTION WITH THE MAIN CITIES OF NORTHERN ITALY MAKE IT AN EXTREMELY POPULAR LOCATION FOR SUMMER TOURISM. THE PEAK OF SUMMER INHABITANTS SINCE THE EARLY 1950S HAS PROFOUNDLY CHANGED THE AREA IN ITS BUILDING, INFRASTRUCTURE, ECOLOGICAL AND ECONOMIC DIMENSIONS. THESE CHANGES HAVE INFLUENCED THE WAY IN WHICH MANY PEOPLE, BOTH INHABITANTS AND TOURISTS, RELATE TO THE LANDSCAPE AND BECOME ATTACHED TO SOME OF ITS FEATURES. AS IN I. CALVINO, A PREDATORY ATTITUDE TOWARDS AN AREA OFTEN TRIGGERS A SIMILAR EMOTIONAL APPROACH IN OTHER AREAS OF PEOPLE'S LIVES.
LIGURIA WAS AMONG THE FIRST EUROPEAN TERRITORIES TO CONFRONT THE PHENOMENON OF TOURISM. REPRESENTATIONS OF SAN TERENZO IN PAINTING AND LITERATURE BEGAN TO CIRCULATE FROM THE NINETEENTH CENTURY ONWARDS THANKS TO ENGLISH AND GERMAN TOURISTS. SINCE THEN, REPRESENTATIONS OF THE LANDSCAPE OF THE RIVIERA HAVE CONTINUED TO MULTIPLY UNTIL THE ERA OF MASS TOURISM.
TODAY SAN TERENZO EXPERIENCES THE CONTRADICTIONS OF MANY ITALIAN COASTAL TOWNS.THE ALTERATIONS TO ITS LANDSCAPE MAKE PARTICULARLY VISIBLE THE DISCREPANCY BETWEEN THE ATTEMPT TO PRESERVE A PRECIOUS TERRITORY AND THE DESIRE TO EXPLOIT ITS FULL ECONOMIC POTENTIAL.THESE TWO TENDENCIES CONTRADICT EACH OTHER, BUT IN THEIR CLASH IT IS POSSIBLE TO DISCERN NEW, UNEXPECTED WAYS OF CREATING ONE'S OWN LANDSCAPE, AND LIVING WITH IT.
PROGRAM
VENERDÌ 23 GIUGNO
17:00
18:00
19:00
SABATO 24 GIUGNO
11:00
11:00 - 13:00
12:00
14.00
17:00 - 19:00
20:00
DOMENICA 25 GIUGNO
11:00
11:00 - 13:00
14:00 - 18:00
18:15