Born in Italy and based in Brussels, Anna Rispoli explores the imaginary path that connects reality to the imaginary. She also examines how shared territories are used through participatory practice and compares the different behaviours we exhibit in public spaces and private territories.
Last May, Rispoli was contacted by Abu Dhabi Art curator Tarek Abou El Fetouh, while showcasing ‘I Really Would Like To Come Back Home’ in Brussels – a light installation and architectural performance, which invited the residents of a popular apartment block to play their domestic lights as if they were musical instruments.
Rispoli’s audio-visual installations investigate how the mental merges with the physical through a personal narrative of human experience. Consequently, Abu Dhabi’s booming art scene and prosperous economic growth is something that interests the Italian artist. “For people like me who are interested in urban planning and city identity, the way Abu Dhabi is growing is a real challenge,” she tells MOJEH.
This month, Abu Dhabi Art 2016 returns with five renowned curators and 40 innovative galleries from 20 different countries. Iconic pieces and unique artworks will be presented by internationally renowned artists, while a wider public programme promotes the performing arts through a series of public talks by Louvre Abu Dhabi, Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, and Zayed National Museum representatives.
For its eighth edition, Abu Dhabi Art has curated an extensive and thought-provoking programme of exhibitions titled ‘Gateway’, which will anchor the capital as an innovative player in international trade. “I like to think that the futuristic acceleration of urbanity has some advantages to offer,” says Rispoli. However, she strongly believes in the theory of individual alienation and estrangement due to economic developments. “The inevitable alienation from the ‘reality’ of our territory is forcing us to become ‘alien’ to ourselves,” she says. “It will maybe help us imagine a future that’s more sustainable, more responsible, more livable.”
As part of Abu Dhabi Art’s public programme, Rispoli’s futuristic light engagement and participatory performance will interact with the city’s community to explore these theories. “In this project, the audience and I will be discovering a new perspective on landscape and the urban fabric together.
“I invite the audience to follow me into this playful and resilient trip, where everything could become possible again and where simple gestures might regain a meaning.”
Abu Dhabi Art is scheduled to run from November 16th to 19th at Manarat Al Saadiyat, Abu Dhabi
