Georgofili
A film by Eleni Kamma
The geographic location of Tuscany is characterised by a complex set of relations between spectacle, economy and landscape, from the age of the Medicis, to the period of Enlightened Despotism, up to the present day. Georgofili assembles various ‘voices of Italy’ throughout the ages. The old genre of Tuscan Contrasto, verbal duels in which street poet/performers use their arguing skills to debate the politics and morality of contemporary Italy while calling attention to contradictions, meets the historical educational dialogues from the age of Enlightened despotism, performed and commented on by today’s young Italian actors. Georgofili explores the notion of history as a loop that keeps on restarting, although each next repetition can never be fully identical to the previous one.
HD video, 27′ 50″, colour & stereo sound, Italian spoken, 2012
Credits
Camera: Eleni Kamma & Stijn Verhoeff
Editing: Inneke Van Wayenberghe & Fairuz
Tuscan Contrasto in Ottava Rima Verbal Duel
performed by Emilio Meliano and Realdo Tonti
19th century Tuscan agricultural dialogues read, performed and commented on by:
Lavinia Parisi and Marco Rustioni
Excerpts from:
Economy of time, Lapo de Ricci
Concerning the ambition of clothing, Lapo de Ricci
On gems and other precious ornaments, F. Orlandini in Giornale Agrario Tuscano, No 33, Gabinetto Vieussieux, 1835, Florence
Translation:
Tuscan Contrasto verbal duel and actors’ dialogues: Brenda Porster
Economy of Time, On gems and other precious ornaments: Emiliano Battista
Produced with the support of the FONDS BKVB
Presentations to date:
ART IS ALWAYS PUBLIC: AN ARTIST’S FILM EACH WEEK, online film programme of Villa Romana, Florence (2020)
Curved Arrows, group exhibition at Kunstraum am Schauplatz, Vienna (2019)