“La Scatola”
An intermedia project by Manuela Barile and Rui Costa
1. Introduction
‘La Scatola’ is a transdisciplinary project by Rui Costa and Manuela Barile that explores the notion of confinement using multiple approaches and works on the border zone between the ‘I’ and the outside world. “La Scatola” (“The Box”, in English) can be thought as a narrative device, that represents a diffuse space between the “inside” and the outside”, between the “I” and the “other”, in which multiple and sometimes opposite strength lines are present: sensitive manifestations of the incarcerated and/or protected body, distorted visions of the external world, anxiety, wishes and memories.
We may define this zone in purely spatial terms (“forbidden zone”, “abyss”, “barrier”) but also in terms of bidirectional “energy fluxes” created by the sensitive and emotional projection of the incarcerated individuality into the outside world (pain, desire, resistance, impotence, etc.) and by the representation (idealized, distorted, diffuse) of the outside world in the mind and body of the incarcerated individual.
The project ‘La Scatola’ has been materialized in several ways, according to the spatial context where it was presented and the collaboration with artists of several areas. Given the background of the authors of this project, the focus in terms of materials has been on body and vocal performance and on sound and video installation.
2. Work Approach
The several narrative devices are organized in order to create enigmatic situations, between the familiar and the weird (or distant). The images or objects that are used, in its simplicity and depuration, can be transformed in a mirror capable of facing the audience with their own memories and individual experiences. This depuration process is set in order to search new metaphorical possibilities that are not mere illustrations, opening itself to the biggest number of interpretations and associations.
In “La Scatola” the interactivity and transcoding processes between the different used media (sound, video, performance, sensors) is deliberately used in a controlled manner, trying not to saturate the desired expressivity and simplicity, and allowing the possibility of “revelation” regarding the used elements in the several installations / performances.
“La Scatola “ involves several phases of research and developing, starting on September 2007, making use of technological devices (both hardware and software) and performative artistic expressions. The authors don’t intend to use separately objects, images, sound and movement, but on the contrary to continuously reflect on the reciprocal possible connections between them.
3. Presentation Formats.
The project has been presented in the form of an installation-performance, either in galleries / exhibition spaces, or in a site-specific context (for instance, during the planned artistic residencies). Also a“concert” version for the project was developed using simpler interactions between the key elements, but not compromising its “intermedia” approach.
The different possible metamorphosis are recombined / rethought according to the collaborations and the specific spaces to be used. The number of metamorphosis to use in each installation will depend, apart from other variables, on the dimension of the exhibition spaces.
4. Key Elements for the implementation of “La Scatola”
a. Narrative element
(Confinement narratives: childhood, old age, home, memory, etc.)
b. Performance element
(Body movements inside a space. Choreography. Language.)
c. Sensitive element
(Physical, expressive or physiologic manifestations of a body or part of a body. Voice, heart, nervous system, etc.)
d. Spatial element
Open or closed environments. Crowded or empty places. Site-specific or conventional action sets. Architecture. Landscape.
e. Sound element
Acoustic space (sound, silence, reverberation).
Sound being defined by space.
The sound of the body, “metabolic sounds captures by sensors.
f. Physical element
Materials, objects, constructions present in the installations / performances.
Boxes, basins, tables, organic materials (water, trees, nests, stones), photos, personal objects, etc.
g. Light element
Natural or artificial light. Total darkness, partial or total illumination.
5. Technical Diagrams
During the research process for “La Scatola”, several possible installation formats were studied, some of which were actually developed. The following document presents a few samples of these installations’ technical diagrams (click on pdf icon to open):
6. Public Presentations
Here is the full list of installations and performances made for “La Scatola”:
October, 4th 2007
Santiago Church, Castle, Palmela (Portugal)
“La Scatola” in solo: concert version with Rui Costa (laptop)
October, 12th 2007
Festival Marco Sonoro 2007
Contemporary Art Museum of Vigo (Spain)
“La Scatola” concert version: Manuela Barile (voice and sound objects) and Rui Costa (laptop)
October, 25th 2007
Pottery Museum of Barcelos (Portugal)
“La Scatola” concert version: Manuela Barile (voice and sound objects) and Rui Costa (laptop)
November, 3rd 2007
Nodar, S. Pedro do Sul (Portugal)
“La Scatola Nodar”: Site-specific Installation & Performance by Manuela Barile and Rui Costa
November, 8th 2007
Galeria Zé dos Bois, Lisbon (Portugal)
“La Scatola” concert-performance + real time video with Manuela Barile (voice and sound objects) and Rui Costa (laptop)
November, 24th 2007
Burn Out – Post Crash – 9th Symposium of sound arts and mix media
Entrepôt Lainé – CAPC Musée d’Art Contemporain de Bordeaux (France) – “La Scatola” in solo: concert version with Manuela Barile (voice + sound objects)
January, 28th 2008
Hurta Cordel Festival 2008 – International Festival of Musical Improvisation
La Casa Encendida, Madrid (Spain)
“La Scatola” in solo: concert version with Manuela Barile (voice + sound objects + real time video)
February, 5th 2008
Almazen Gallery, Barcelona (Spain)
“La Scatola d’acqua”: installation-performance + real time video with Manuela Barile (voice + performance) and Rui Costa (laptop, sensors)
February, 6th 2008
Almazen Gallery, Barcelona (Spain)
“La Scatola”: concert version with Manuela Barile (voice + sound objects) and Rui Costa (laptop, sensors)
February, 29th 2008
Villa Franchin, Mestre-Venice (Italy)
“La Scatola”: concert version + real time video with Manuela Barile (voice + sound objects) and Rui Costa (laptop, sensors)
April, 4th and 5th 2008
Contemporary Art Center of Huarte-Pamplona (Spain)
“La Scatola”: concert version + real time video with Manuela Barile (voice + sound objects) and Rui Costa (laptop, sensors)
June, 5th 2008
Guarda Municipal Theatre (Portugal)
“La Scatola d’acqua”: installation-performance + real time video with Manuela Barile (voice + performance) and Rui Costa (laptop, sensors)
June, 5th 2008
Guarda Municipal Theatre (Portugal)
“La Scatola”: concert version with Manuela Barile (voice + sound objects), Rui Costa (laptop, sensors) and Maile Colbert (real time video processing)
7. Audio files from two of the “La Scatola” presentations:
[display_podcast]
8. Photo selection
9. People and Acknowledgments
Artistic Direction: Manuela Barile (Italy) and Rui Costa (Portugal)
Video Collaboration: Maile Colbert (USA)
Dramaturgic Collaboration: Bojana Bauer (Serbia)
Production Direction: Luís Costa
Artist Residencies: Nodar Guest Studio (Portugal) | MoKS (Estonia)
Funding: General Office of the Arts | Ministry of Culture, Portugal
Acknowledgments: Associação Cultural de Nodar (Portugal) | S. Pedro do Sul Municipality (Portugal) | Zoom – Associação Cultural (Portugal) | Amigos do Museu de Olaria de Barcelos (Portugal) | ZDB Gallery (Portugal) | MoKS (Estonia) | Vel-Net (Italy) | Villa Franchin (Italy) | Madcap Collective (Itália) | Città di Venezia (Italy) | MARCO – Contemporary Art Museum of Vigo (Spain) | Sinsal Collective (Spain) | MUSAC – Contemporary Art Museum of León (Spain) | Junta de Castilla y León – Consejeria de Cultura y Turismo (Spain) | Almazen. Serial Artist (Spain) | La Casa Encendida de Obra Social Caja Madrid (Spain) | Asociación Musicalibre (Spain) | Centro Huarte – Contemporary Art Centre of Navarra (Spain) | Presence Capitale (France) | Erratum (France)