The Bay of leranto is an inlet on the Sorrentine Peninsula protected by the FAI, in whose waters a famous episode in Greek mythology is said to have taken place: according to Homer's epic poem, it was here that Odysseus was captivated by the song of the Sirens during his journey back to Ithaca.

At the intersection of mythology and technology, the project formulates a spatial device, a stage machinery capable of generating new forms of ritual aggregation. Following examples from classical architecture, BB's design of the scenic backdrop reinterprets the tradition of the shell-shaped niche - an architectural compartment typical of Renaissance art in which statues and sacred objects were displayed - by proposing a reverse-fluted exedra made of fiberglass plaster. 

For its realization, modern modeling and milling technologies were used concurrently with forms of knowledge belonging to local craftsmen. In this setting, Walter Maioli gave a multi-instrumental performance in close dialogue with the architectural structure of the bay, summoning its mythological past and bringing forth a new musical archeology, archeo-acoustic of the site. Inside the Italian Pavilion, the installation evokes the experience of the performance that took place in leranto on April 17, via three elements: the set piece, the instruments, and the sounds. The niche, transported directly from the bay, is reassembled here to house conch shells, ronzatori (hummers), and other handcrafted musical instruments that highlight the singular approach to experimental archaeology and musicology. Within the exhibition, the record Il Suono delle Api / La Vibrazione del Cosmo plays, emblematic of Maioli's research into the music of nature and into ancient soundscapes and their psychoacoustic power.

BB

BB is the design atelier founded in 2021 by Alessandro Bava and Fabrizio Ballabio, architects, researchers and teachers of architectural design whose work focuses on the search for new spatial practices.

Terraforma

Terraforma is an international music festival dedicated to artistic experimentation and sustainability. Located in the woods of Villa Arconati, just outside Milan, it involves artists exploring new ways to reduce the distance between art and life.

Practice

BB (Fabrizio Ballabio, Alessandro Bava)

Advisor

Terraforma (Ruggero Pietromarchi, Nicola Giuliani)

Incubator

FAI - Fondo per l'Ambiente Italiano

Fondazione Donnaregina per le arti contemporanee | Museo Madre

Location

Baia di Ieranto (Napoli), Campania

In collaboration with

Villa Lontana Records (Vittoria Bonifati, Michele Ferrari)

Technical Partner

Fonderia Nolana del Giudice

Performance and workshop by

Walter Maioli

with

Luce Maioli 

Ivan Gibellini

Carmine Di Biasi

Francesco Lupi Barale

Lorenzo Lupi Barale

Poseidonia Orchestra: Conch Shells Horn Ensemble

Project Manager

Anita Wilczega (Threes Productions)

Aknowledgments

Federico Bevacqua

Antonella DeAngelis

Blu Fiorentino