On the occasion of, the eleventh edition of Bologna’s half marathon, Nosadella.due – Independent Residency for Public Art presents the performances Controcorrente by Emilio Fantin and Hip Hip Tune Up by Elisa Fontana.
Researching on the combination of visual art and sport, for the first time Nosadella.due – Independent Residency for Public Art proposes a dual artistic action during the running event.
With the aim of involving the general sporty audience into contemporary art practices, the two performances will happen in the spectacular setting of the historical downtown of the city, where the marathon takes place.
With the performance Controcorrente, the local artist Emilio Fantin offers an alternative point of view to look at the run, adding the unsettling, unpredictable and imaginative effect of the artistic intervention. An “alternative” runner will participate in the marathon running on the opposite direction to that imposed by regulations of the competition, meeting the regular running group only once. The solitary runner will then push the viewers to question about this uncommon behaviour, attracting the comments of people who will seek to understand his gross error, but also those of who will decide, however, to encourage him to continue in his stubborn decision. At a more abstract and metaphorical level, the artist suggests the possibility of living an event following different rules, to be able to include contradiction in every situation, to take one’s own position – as it is that of the artist in the society – and to be able to say it with the utmost freedom.
If the solitary runner will win so his fans, on the other hand the artist Elisa Fontana promotes her special fans in support of the “official” runners, including all those who want to cheer, those who are used to cheer, those who like to invent jingles and dances to inspire athletes.
Her project HIP HIP TUNE UP! represents a new look at the audience of a sports game that, inevitably, is a supporter one: working with the comments the artist has collected from the participating athletes – available on the Facebook page “hip hip tune up” – the performer/actor Matteo Garattoni intercepts the needs of runners in order to create new songs and choreography of cheer, becoming the motivator of spectator’s groups deployed in various places, acclaiming passing runners in some strategic points of the run. Incitement of the athlete is a strongly relational and performing act, which provides bodily actions, emission of sound and emotional involvement. The project aims to investigate the performing and relational dimensions of the cheer to make it as an artwork.
Throughout the day, both artists will be at Piazza del Nettuno proposing performances and collecting live contributions from fans and spectators that will be broadcasted on Nosadella.due screen at the big red booth, through the direct involvement and social networks.
The event, unique in his genre for Bologna and the major international running events, aims to reaffirm the identity of a leading creative city in the Country, celebrating a day for everyone, runners and audience, an extra-ordinary moment of spontaneous expression, not finalized and typical of fun, of well-being and sharing, which art and sport are carriers.
Hence the choice of Nosadella.due, to involve Emilio Fantin and Elisa Fontana, two local artists from two different generations, who also internationally represent the city’s artistic scenario, always projected towards the brand new artistic expressions, such as relational and participatory art and intervention in the public realm that, in particular, Nosadella.due is promoting.