THE NEW ORCHESTRA
From Mountain Communities to Community of the Future
Hannes Egger, Olivia Mihălțianu, Rebecca Moccia, plurale, Emilija Škarnulytė, Eugenio Tibaldi
Curated by Andrea Lerda
With the participation of: Sofia Baldi Pighi, Alexandra Mihali, Gabriele Lorenzoni
Much of contemporary ecological thinking, driven by the need to envisage post-anthropocentric scenarios and to imagine more ethical ways of inhabiting planet Earth, focuses the debate on redefining the relationships between human and other than human. However, alongside this course of thought, perhaps the time has come for a profound and radical rethinking of the relationships among human beings?
The New Orchestra stems from the awareness that mountains – despite the difficulties of living in these places – have historically furthered the dimension of encounters, of sharing and of sociality, nurturing those feelings of togetherness, belonging and solidarity that urban-industrial societies have lost.
We are living in a hyper-connected present, made up of digital inhabitants, in which utilitarianism and individualism produce exclusion and competition; where speed and hyper-stimulation generate a lack of responsibility, interpersonal disconnectedness and an overall disregard for the health of our planet.
One third of Italy is considered mountainous, and here, a phenomenon of “remainers”, “returners” and “new inhabitants” is currently underway, which deserves to be supported by appropriate public policies. Young and those less young, driven by a need to re-establish socio-economic paradigms and by a new ecological awareness, are championing the need for a new polycentric and solidarity-based urban-rural community model.
So, what role do mountain areas play in the society of today and tomorrow? How can these lands guide us towards a better future? How can we turn them into laboratories, models and testing grounds in order to reimagine a sense of community and living more sustainably?
On a global scale, is it possible to hypothesise that this rediscovery of ourselves together can fuel a new community welfare and, consequently, a greater sense of care for the natural environment?
Resulting from six artistic residencies, realised through dialogue with as many communities living in the highlands of the Alps and Apennines – in Piedmont, the Aosta Valley, Lombardy, Trentino-Alto Adige and Emilia Romagna – the exhibition The New Orchestra. From Mountain Communities to Community of the Future opens up a series of reflections in this regard.
The exhibition image is inspired by Hannes Egger’s artwork Togetherness.
The New Orchestra. From Mountain Communities to Communities of the Future is a Museo Nazionale della Montagna project, realised with the support of Regione Piemonte, Fondazione Compagnia di San Paolo, Fondazione CRT, Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio di Cuneo, Camera di Commercio Industria Artigianato e Agricoltura di Torino, Camera di Commercio Industria Artigianato e Agricoltura di Cuneo, Istituto di Cultura Lituano in Italia, and Galeria Posibila of Bucharest.
The residencies were made possible thanks to the collaboration of Associazione Art.ur, Cuneo; Associazione CAP24020, Clusone – Alta Val Seriana; Associazione La Clé sur la Porte e Locanda Le Milieu, Eresaz-Emarèse – Val d’Ayas; Associazione Organico Perduca, Travo – Val Trebbia; Associazione Stone Oven House, Rorà – Valle Pellice; Comune di Argentera – Valle Stura; Comune di Clusone – Alta Val Seriana; and MusLa – Museum Ladin, San Martino in Badia – Val Badia.
