CONNECTING CODE

The Connecting Code urban regeneration project, led by artists Bianco-Valente, is the winner of the Creative Living Lab V call from the Ministry of Culture’s Directorate General for Contemporary Creativity. This ambitious project aims to establish connecting codes between neighborhoods and people in the city of Herculaneum.

Connecting Code project

The project is developed through a series of workshops curated by Bianco-Valente, a nationally and locally active artistic duo specializing in relational and participatory art. Consequently, process of activation of the territory based on the analysis of the city and the stories of its inhabitants, the artists will create a widespread site-specific intervention, thereby transforming neglected areas into spaces for listening and active participation.

Moreover, the activities involve the local community in a process of re-appropriation of the area. This enhances the sense of belonging and cultural value through dialogue and the active participation of citizens of all ages.

Connecting Code locations

The areas involved include the new square in Via Mare, which overlooks the Archaeological Park with a view of the Gulf of Naples, the Ruana market area outside the MAV Museum, and the historic center of Pugliano, home to the famous vintage market. Thus, Connecting Code aims to strengthen the aggregative function of these spaces for the local community and to create pathways for branching new flows in areas that are normally little visited.

DIFFUSE ARTWORKS ERCOLANO

The diffuse artwork of Connecting Code consists of three permanent installations integrating art, community and urban regeneration in the city of Herculaneum. The project, curated by the artistic duo Bianco-Valente and supported by the Ministry of Culture’s Creative Living Lab programme, actively involved the citizens of Herculaneum at every stage of the creative process, resulting in site-specific works that reflect the history, traditions and identity of the area.

The first work, Questo insieme, is a mosaic located in the area of the Seconda Traversa Mercato, known as ‘a Ruana. Made of everyday ceramics donated by the inhabitants and fragmented into small tesserae, the work symbolises the bond between the citizens and their territory. The central knot, made of marble tiles, represents the union and cohesion of the community.

The second installation, Con Tatto, is an interactive mosaic in the form of a QR code, located in the heart of the Resina vintage market in Via Panto. This code, made of marble tiles, refers to a photograph depicting the ancient gesture of choosing clothes in the market. By scanning the QR code, visitors can access a virtual page that tells the story of Connecting Code through images, behind-the-scenes videos and interviews with citizens involved in the workshops.

The three artworks, interconnected by the theme of relationships and connections, show the many facets of Herculaneum, a city that combines its archaeological heritage with a vibrant contemporary identity. Connecting Code is thus an example of how art can act as a tool for urban regeneration and community empowerment, transforming Herculaneum into a place where culture and creativity are an integral part of everyday life.

Updated schedule:

∙ Contemporary Art Workshop with Bianco-Valente at Villa Campolieto, January 24, 2024
٠ Contemporary Art Workshop with Bianco-Valente at La Locanda di Emmaus, February 14, 2024
∙ Workshop with Bianco-Valente and the community at the Herculaneum excavations, February 29, 2024
٠ Contemporary Art Workshop with Bianco-Valente at the MAV Museum, March 19, 2024
∙ Contemporary Art Workshop with Bianco-Valente at Via Mare, April 9, 2024

The project, in collaboration with CAP – Cities Art Projects as mentor, sees Variabile K as leading partner and the Istituto Packard per i Beni Culturali as co-funder, in collaboration with Parco Archeologico di Ercolano, Fondazione Cives Museo MAV, La Locanda di Emmaus ODV and Seme di Pace.

Patronage of the municipality of Ercolano.

Photo Credits

Connecting Code, Courtesy CAP – Cities Art Projects © Paola Farfaglio

Connecting Code, Courtesy Variabile K © Lilia Delle Rose

Connecting Code, Courtesy Bianco-Valente © Giovanna Bianco

The project is supported by Creative Living Lab – 5th edition, promoted by the Directorate-General for Contemporary Creativity of the Italian Ministry of Culture

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