Atlas Revisited

For my Atlas Revisited, Within and Without I decided to delve into the development and exploration of my first map on childhood memory. From simple words on a piece of paper, I evolved a two-dimensional drawing into a video, through the use of technology. The childhood memory that is encompassed by this piece of work dates back to 12 years ago. At the age of 6, my father and I were heading towards school, like any other casual and ordinary day. On that day, however, he played a song that I had never heard before, written and sang by an Italian artist whose name sounded funny to me at the time: Tiziano Ferro. From that day onwards, for the rest of my school year, we listened to that song over and over again, until I knew its lyrics by heart. My memories of those moments are vivid and intense, and every time I hear that song, I am taken back to those car rides in the early mornings. As this has stayed within me for the past 11 years, I decided to portray my affection towards this childhood memory with a short video. Inspired by Apollinaire’s “calligrammes,” I decided to develop this piece of work with a projection on skin. The video, in fact, presents the text of the song my father and I always used to sing, through a projection of it on my skin. Line is fundamental within this piece of work, as it is distorted once it reaches my body, showing how it’s enfolding me the same way roots do with the soil beneath them. Moreover, the light and subtle contrast, and low saturation of the image wants to emphasize how my body is becoming part of the memory that is slowly embracing me.
I purposely decided the lack of sound, as I believe silence allows the observers to focus on the words surrounding the piece of work. I expect a background music to be distracting, whilst silence involves the audience more deeply and thoughtfully.
I created this project to highlight the importance that this memory has had on me, as it has shaped me throughout my growth and maturation, and how it has stayed with me ever since. The bond my father and I share is unbreakable, and this song truly makes me feel close to him even when separated.