Art has the power to transform places, rediscovering and renewing connections and visions.
This is what is happening in Londa, the evocative setting of the art residency A Dimora, curated by LAMA Impresa Sociale. The residency concluded its second edition during the first weekend of September with the inauguration of three works created by the participating artists: Arianna Pace, Ornella Cardillo, and Tommaso Mannucci (Monograff).
The three artists were selected with consideration for the diversity of their approaches and practices. They lived in the heart of Londa as temporary residents during the months of June and July. Their stay in the area allowed them to explore the places, meet the people, and discover the local traditions and peculiarities, letting inspiration arise from the right spark. Through the connections made on site, each of them was able to conceive a work of art dedicated to Londa, designed and created for the traditional September Festival. During this event, the artworks were unveiled and presented, leaving them as a gift to the local community.
THE WORKS
The interaction with the residents of Londa inspired Arianna Pace in the creation of a garden, a collective landscape where all elements, both human and non-human, find their place. This gave rise to a work that is both a new space for the community, marked by a threshold—a wrought iron gate whose curves echo the branches and stems within. In the garden, wild plants coexist with those donated by the community, seeking a common relationship with nature that can become a shared legacy, recognizable through every season and change.
“Che proveresti tu se ti fiorisse la terra sotto i piedi, all’improvviso?” (‘How would you feel if the earth bloomed beneath your feet, all of a sudden?’), Arianna Pace’s work, is accessible from Via della Costituzione, heading toward the lake.
Through interviews with the residents of Londa, Ornella Cardillo discovered local stories, beliefs, and traditions. This inspired her to design a ‘house of words‘, a meeting and safeguarding place that evokes the protective practices of the Vestal Virgins from ancient Rome, recalling the idea of the genius loci. This concept takes shape in a luminous sculpture installed on the lake’s shore, inspired by the village’s old analog lighting practices. As dusk falls, along with the light, the voices of Londa also come alive: by approaching the sculpture, one can hear songs, anecdotes, stories, and wishes.
Se la luna venisse a nascondersi (If the moon came to hide), Ornella Cardillo’s work, can be visited by following Via della Costituzione toward the lake, just past Arianna Pace’s work.
Tommaso Mannucci (Monograff) created a mural that covers the high walls of one of the central passageways in Londa, depicting what lies just a few steps away: the river, wild animals, the sun, and the forest—totemic elements that tell the story of the village’s inseparable bond with the surrounding nature. Characterized by the artist’s distinctive style and the colors white and blue, the work is also enriched by elements born from the exchange with the community, particularly its youngest members. The creation process included research and workshops with children and teenagers, promoting participation and sharing through painting.
50060, Tommaso Mannucci’s (Monograff) work, is located between Via Etruria and Piazza Umberto I.
