To Remember, To Listen will see Marisa Garreffa sit alone in the Sala Lungarno of The British Institute of Florence based in Palazzo Lanfredini, Lungarno Guicciardini, 9, patiently sewing together hundreds of pieces of paper and slowly creating a flowing sculptural form. It is a river of stories, and as she works, she listens to voices telling these and other stories. The tales told are of Florence during the pandemic, a year which has hurt us in so many ways, which has kept us apart, alone and sometimes despairing. Although we cannot touch, we can still share our thoughts and our dreams, our sadness and our moments of joy, our hopes and the dark comedy of life under lockdown. By sharing our emotions and experiences, and by listening to the stories of others, we can start to heal, as ourselves and for our communities in the beautiful though battered city to which we all connect and belong.
Ph. Sarah Hickson
To Remember, To Listen will be performed by Marisa Garreffa from 2-9pm each day from May 17-23, livestreamed on The British Institute of Florence’s Facebook and YouTube. The project will raise funds for Angeli della Città, a charity helping the most vulnerable people in Florence during this crisis.
Everyone is invited to submit their stories for inclusion. Please submit your stories via email to remember@britishinstitute.it or our social media (Facebook, Instagram or Twitter). Or send audio, videos and texts via WhatsApp to +393792560904
