A festival in Sardinia between tradition and contemporaneity

“Abitare connessioni” is a week of interventions dedicated to revitalization of regions throughout ​​Sardinia. The towns of Mamoiada, Orani, Orgosolo and Ottana, are rich with history and culture, and undisturbed by the typical hordes of tourists. Held between 2 and 7 August, the program intertwined contemporary artistic disciplines with traditional knowledge. The meaning of the project lies in the need to reflect on the phenomenon of depopulation which affects the region, like many other internal Italian areas. Set on revitalization, Costantino Nivola, a world renowned artist native to Orani, was propositioned by the mayor to create a work within the village. 

Reflecting, Orani has commented, “My choice would consist in the recovery of the entire town, not an intervention with some sculpture, graffiti in a corner that would have no meaning and would count for nothing, but a total intervention that is to intervene in the village, whitewashing all the houses, making the pergolas run freely, which tend to do so despite the interventions of continuous discouragement”.

“Abitare connessioni” aims to thoughtfully highlight the local heritage, and the future potential of the area, with an intent to experiment and launch research and action models of modernized living. Curators Maria Paola Zedda, Enrica Puggioni and Antonella Camarda (director of Nivola Museum) have been chosen to curate the project under several programs, including Rifare Il Mondo, Agorà, Among the numerous activities there are community workshops, public meetings with thinkers, philosophers, activists, sociologists, including Marianella Sclavi, and architects including Valentina Torrente and Valentina Porceddu (Mario Cucinella Architects Studio). 

Other efforts include art installations, including work by Claudia Losi, which explore the territory, performances by Cristian Chironi and Andreco, concerts with the Fondazione Teatro Lirico di Cagliari, parades of the masks of Mamoiada, Mamuthones, and floating sculptures, titled Aerocene by Tomàs Saraceno.