Listening to Barriera
Listening to Barriera: strategies for performative music composition in public space
“Barriera di Milano” is a post-industrial neighbourhood situated in the periphery of Turin (Italy) characterised by a multi-ethnical present and a significant past of workers’ fights for rights. Its public space is where a variety of communities, ethnicities, and different social contexts co-exist in a fragile and precarious balance. What is the role of the artist in this particular urban context? With this question in mind and a strong sense of belonging for Barriera, I have decided to start this research from the concept of “listening”, investigating how the public space of Barriera could perform into a process of music composition. In this sense, my attempt is to create a sharable method for musicians/music makers to approach public space artistically. In my case, this method involved the creation of a STUDIO, a chalk-drawn square on the street that temporarily becomes a site for participation, experimentation, and creativity. The STUDIO is where the concept of “listening to Barriera” performs into practice through a variety of activities that connect the creative process with public space. These are recording sessions, improvisation/jams, “super-listening”, interviews, and social interactions.
Special thanks:
My coach Heleen de Hoon and the PPS staff. My colleagues and friends Anne, Ellie, Rita, and Dimitri. Angelo, Pino, Gianluca, Alessandro.
