amnesia
Peter Nylund
“How can artistic research interpret and interact with sites of fascist history?
During the ‘Difficult Heritage Summer School’ in Borgo Rizza, Carlentini, I developed methods of political and artistic resistance: a collective portrait experiment, and the recording and layering of resonant acoustic frequencies.
The Borgo Rizza Portrait Booth seeks to bridge the gap between photographer and portrait subjects, by giving the latter voice and agency in the creative process, from selecting the props, to posing and having control of the decisive moment of pressing the shutter. The resulting images are a testament to the power of collaboration, showcasing participants in a way that is both authentic and empowering.
Chasing Presence reveals hidden qualities of the historic buildings at Borgo Rizza. Exploring the complex interplay between sound and space, I chase a presence shaped by the environment, history, and materials used in their construction. The practice uses specialised sound layering techniques to record the resonant frequencies produced by the buildings.”
The fundamental pedagogical approach of the course Decolonizing Architecture is based on the articulation of sites, concepts, and people. Each participant is asked to choose a particular site, understood as a site of action and a site of knowledge. Concepts emerging from the research site provide a grounded theoretical approach to the practice.
During the spring semester Decolonizing Architecture shares the concepts that informed this year individual and collective research.