Installation with sound, a collaboration

with Mia "Cleaver Boi" Kukathasan

 

When walking into Asilo Infantile Beatrice first time, you would be surprised about the tiny furniture dotted around the building. Asilo in Italian means a primary/nursery school and this one was named by the founders Alfonso and Angelina Visocchi after their beloved daughter Beatrice who died untimely. The building from 1889 is a time capsule, from the time when nuns taught 3-5 year old children there. The school closed several years ago and is used nowadays by artist residencies and sometimes for the community activities. Small chairs, knee-high pastel Formica tables, fairy tale books and even tiny carnival costumes in the basement contribute to an eerie atmosphere.

 

The installation tries to capture this intangible atmosphere. The children who used to be in the asilo, run around, guided by the nuns in their loose robes to their future, are not there anymore.  Through the objects from the asilo , sound and  interviews of the past pupils and sculptural objects  by sound artist Mia “Cleaver boi” Kukathasan and stage designer Riitta Hakkarainen are attempting to capture the absence and history of Atina town in Italian mountains.

 

Children from wire and their shadows on the wall… Nun hat hanging over them with protective wings and ecclesiastic pressure.

 

Mia and Riitta would like to thank you the residents of Atina who gave interviews for the installation. They have captured some of the memories from the asilo from 1940’s, 60’s, 80’s and last years before closure in the 90’s.