FRONTIGNANO ART WALKS is an artistic-cultural itinerary on Inhabiting the Highlands through the creation of public artworks in Frontignano (Ussita, MC), within the Monti Sibillini National Park.
Video del progetto
Sibillini Mountains: a unique observatory to restore autonomy to inland areas
FRONTIGNANO ART WALKS was born from the desire to overturn the consoling perspective of the mountain as a place to escape the stress of the metropolis by delivering to the areas internal areas an autonomous and not ancillary role. But also from a desire to continue the work done with the community and the association C.A.S.A. Cosa Accade Se Abitiamo. for the creation of the Nontourism guide dedicated to Ussita.
We have chosen the Sibillini Mountains as a place to mature new visions and opportunities on the topic of living because they are special: in addition to being an inland area, difficult to reach, and a ‘high land,’ they are also an earthquake-prone area, as we all still remember from the 2017 earthquake. These ‘extreme’ characteristics make Frontignano – a hamlet 1400 meters above sea level in the province of Macerata – a unique observatory for rethinking the ways in which humans relate to nature, with a view to new models of co-existence that overcome the ways of exploiting the environment that we have come to know in the Anthropocene.
The art-residency steps in Frontignano di Ussita
- Piantamaggio and 1st artistic residency
28 April – 1 May 2022 - Meeting with local craftsmen and 2nd artistic residency
4 – 10 July 2022 - Collective building site and participatory planning
September 2022 - Opening of the land art itineraries
15 – 16 October 2022
Public art installations by orizzontale
The installations are the result of a participatory conception and production process, led by orizzontale architects’ collective and involving old and new inhabitants, local craftsmen, the Municipality of Ussita, the Park Authority, and the Seismology Department of the University of Camerino.
With Frontignano Art Walks, however, we do not only intend to create works of art: we want these works to be totems around which citizens, tourists and a pioneering group of experts from botany, economics, philosophy, architecture and seismology can gather. Totems that trigger the necessary awe to allow kind and respectful models to emerge for all those involved.
These works will have a spill-over effect on the ground in the creation of tourist proposals for travellers and barbarians, eager to explore a wild and living land in order to learn more about themselves. Especially in an area hit by the earthquake, which has the opportunity to radically rethink its future, it is important to maintain a relationship with its history, supporting the processes of cultural development, which are fundamental for an area with a strong vocation for tourism and where the margins for development of the sector (especially for responsible and quality tourism) are very high.
The audio-documentary
In the spring of 2023, journalist Sara Sartori furthered her research on the future of tourism in mountain areas by interviewing inhabitants, political representatives, business owners, and realities active in the field of slow tourism, in order to explore and recount models of tourism complementary to that based on ski slopes.
The result of these interviews is the audio documentary Mutations. Reconstruction and stories of modern utopia, produced by Sineglossa with the support of EIT Community New European Bauhaus.
The audio documentary was presented with a public event in Frontignano di Ussita, on the occasion of ITACA Festival of Responsible Tourism.
Credits
FRONTIGNANO ART WALKS is a project by Sineglossa, in partnership with BAM! Strategie Culturali and Go World, in collaboration with C.A.S.A. Cosa Accade Se Abitiamo, with support from the Municipality of Ussita, National Park Authority of Sibillini Mountains, University of Camerino, Geomore, AITR Associazione Italiana del Turismo Responsabile, Go In Italy. The project is co-founded by the European Regional Development Fund, under the POR FESR MARCHE 2014/2020.
