Giovanni Morassutti is an Italian actor and theatre director graduated from the Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia. He currently lives in Berlin, Germany where he also manages Art Aia – La Dolce Berlin, a project space that hosts artists from all over the world, giving them an opportunity to showcase their work. He is also the founder of Art Aia – Creatives / In / Residence which is an art residency located in the countryside of northern of Italy that offers space to artists to develop their creative process within a natural setting.
Hi Giovanni , can you please tell us what is the cross-disciplinary artist residency program that you offer at Art Aia – Creatives / In / Residence ?
Every summer, Art Aia – Creatives / In / Residence, offers a cross-disciplinary Artist in Residence program open to international artists that culminates with an exhibiting event which is generally open to the local public.
What are your focuses as a cultural entrepreneur ?
During a broadcast interview few years ago I used this metaphor to describe my philosophy of life: “A great many drops of water will create a creek,” by which I mean that we must collaborate to make change. In my realm, I’m trying to use art practices to promote sustainability. My art residency in Italy is developing programs in order to raise audience consciousness about topics like global warming and climate change.
Please tell us about your international collaborations
Since 2018, Art Aia – Creatives / In / Residence collaborates with the Arts Territory Exchange in the Residency in Sustainable Practice which is an off-shoot programme that has been formed in collaboration with the Centre for Sustainable Practice in the Arts (CSPA). Two artists per year have the opportunity to develop their practices in relation to ideas of ecology and sustainability by attending a one week residency at the Italian art center.
Here is an extract from the CSPA report:
Art Aia Creatives / In / Residence in Friuli provided an interesting backdrop through which to engage with ideas of sustainability extending beyond the materiality of the art world, the artists were able to visit vineyards and factories and discuss the crossovers of culture and sustainable agriculture with their host Giovanni Morassutti. Giovanni says his Art Aia residency space has its interests in ‘Creating the kind of connections between people that lead to collective civic action, political expression, community dialogue, shared cultural experiences.
And what about your partnership with Sadya Mizan, founder of URONTO ARTIST COMMUNITY in Bangladesh ?
Basically Art Aia – Creatives / In / Residence collaborates with Artist-Led Open Collective Uronto Artist Community affiliated with Art Initiative Bangladesh-AIB and I have been part of the selection board along with independent curator Sadya Mizan. I have co-curated the 8th and 9th Episode of the Uronto Residential Art Exchange Program.
Full article on AIR
ART AIA - CREATIVES IN RESIDENCE 