COMMA – Leaving Traces

In my mind Perugia is a magical place. A city rising on a remote elevation of the earth’s surface with endless staircases that lead from one mountain to the other and up into a blue sky. Not unlike an M.C. Escher print one can get easily lost in Perugia’s old town. A labyrinth of narrow streets lead through viaducts, past antique fresco’s and through secret doors.

In my life, Perugia is a place where at least three of our precious NNE members come from. Morcky, Rocco and Maoma left their hometown and its magic behind, to make Amsterdam their home. Many of years later they haven’t forgotten about Perugia and decided to unite their two homes in a way many world-citizens, torn between ‘heimat’ and home, would like to unite theirs.

As TwoThings, Morcky and Rocco, curate COMMA Art City in Perugia and invited 15 artists from 8 nationalities, all resident in Amsterdam, to meet, sniff and discover the magical place of their youth and childhood.

From June 20 to July 17 Morcky, Rocco Pezzella, Maomaland, Galo, LordH, Abner Preis, Mini Vila, Joe Holbrook, The London Police, Wayne Horse, Lil’Shy, Ovni, Zedz, Raymond Lemstra, and Sitnie will charm and be charmed by Perugia. Exhibiting in- and outdoor all over town COMMA intends to create a meeting point among artists and a connection with the city.

They explain:
“The comma indicates a pause in a sentence. It is the moment of breathing; is a suspension. The comma doesn’t break down the conversation, but opens to a new dialogue, leaves the space to think and sometimes suggests a different ending. A moment suspended in time that will leave a sign of what happened, a trace of a group of artists who share the daily life and the final aim.

“With this project, Perugia presents the work of 15 artists. The works will be split into exhibition spaces and public interventions, getting in touch with a widely diversified public and establishing a direct connection with the city.”

In line with the NNE core, inspired by a traveling community of artists in the spirit of friendship and fraternity with shared fun as initiation, we were invited to cover the event. At the end of next week we will feature exclusive interviews with the artists, special reports and updates.

Meanwhile I wonder whether Perugia can reveal its myths and secrets to me without loosing its magic. But that, will have to be discovered next week.