ROSAS, part two Marinella Senatore

Peres Projects presents part two of ROSAS by Italian artist Marinella Senatore (b. in 1977 Cava dei Tirreni, Italy). ROSAS is a two parts exhibition and the culmination of a project aimed at creating a trilogy of operas specifically intended for the screen. Using a cast and crew of over 20,000 participants, the project spanned a twelve-month period as well as artist residencies in three European cities. Communication and the sharing of experiences played a significant role in the creation of this ambitious, multifaceted project. Senatore facilitated travel for participants from each chapter of the trilogy to visit the next locations in order to increase the dialogue amongst the participants. For some, these interactions marked the first time they left their homes to visit a foreign country. In the final part of Senatore’s exhibition at Peres Projects, the ROSAS trilogy is screened in its entirety for the first time throughout the duration of the exhibition. The film is in four languages: German, English, Spanish, and British sign language. It has English subtitles when other languages are spoken and it also has soft subtitles since over 1,000 deaf citizens took part in the project.

 

Perfect Lives is the first chapter of the opera trilogy produced in Berlin during Senatore’s residency at the Künstlerhaus Bethanien. Senatore collaborated with local newspapers and radio stations to reach out to schools, actors, dancers as well as groups and associations in the Kreuzberg and Neukölln neighborhoods of the German capital. More than 500 members of these diverse groups of participants partook in writing the libretto as well as producing and directing the final film work. During her subsequent residency at Quad in Derby, England, Senatore produced chapter two of the ROSAS trilogy entitled The Attic. Derby residents participated in free workshops lead by local professionals, teachers, and technicians in order to prepare for different roles required to create the film. Ultimately more than 15,000 people were involved and at the completion of The Attic, Senatore left her set behind along with all of the technical equipment allowing the local community to use it for their own projects. Finally at Matadero in Madrid, Spain, Senatore produced the final chapter of the trilogy entitled Public Opinion Descends Upon The Demonstrators. Senatore again relied on community involvement and this time the public was able to witness the movie making process in its entirety, from screenwriting sessions involving hundreds of participants to production.

 

Combining the various outreach, production and participatory involvement approaches from the three locations, at Peres Projects Senatore reconstructed a large set from the original Derby production. This set is a dynamic space, a mix between an English attic and a dance studio, where members of the community, such as photographers, filmmakers, dancers, amateurs, artists, activists, and associations of different kinds will be able to schedule time to use this set for their own projects by contacting berlin@peresprojects.com and scheduling a time slot during gallery hours on a first come, first serve basis. Visitors to the exhibition are able to witness live the creative process of the members of the community who use the set.

 

On the occasion of the opening on November 3rd, Senatore will present a public performance. In this work, Senatore’s participatory-based practice takes the form of a public parade through the streets of Berlin. Celebrating the massive community undertaking the opera trilogy, the parade will include both professional and non-professional  ballet / tap / contemporary dancers and rhythmic  gymnasts  performing choreography originally created for ROSAS by Elisa Zucchetti and Nandhan Molinaro (ESPZ), accompanied by the Berlin brass band IG Blech (HeavyMessyWorldMusic). The entire performance will be filmed by the artist and edited overnight and it will then be on view for the duration of the exhibition. The parade will begin on November 3rd, 2012 at 3:45pm sharp at the intersection of Auguststraße and Oranienburger Straße in 10115 Berlin, Mitte and end at Peres Projects Mitte, Grosse Hamburger Straße 17, 10115 Berlin where we will be holding the opening of the exhibition until 9pm.