Rediscovering Rituals

Rediscovering Rituals is a work in progress that sources from the need of escaping isolation and individualism through a social engagement. Major inspiration for this process is Tarantism, a phenomenon that was widly spread in South of Italy, in particular in Salento, and was resorted to when an individuals found themselves in a situation of great psychological discomfort and were unable to function normally in the community they were living. The ritual used to exorcise Tarantism was a temporary help to get through their situation, with the understanding of the society they were living in. 

Chiara's interest is to find a connection between the old folkloristic music and dance from Salento, used to accomplish those rituals, and some of the altered psychological and spiritual states affecting people nowadays in a dislocated context. 

Focusing on immigrants coming from South of Italy, Chiara has been conducting a research on emotions and states of mind resulted from physical separation and consequent melancholia.

Concept: Chiara Fersini (2024)

First part of the research has been supported by kultur.lokal.fürth.