What to do in this space
MARINELLA SENATORE: Hello, my name is Marinella Senatore and I’m talking from Italy, in Rome, where I’m based. And since 2006 I word within the field of contemporary art, making participatory and socially engaged project, embodying entire community in our works. For the exhibition “Declaration” at the ICA, I will present a project that I started some years ago. It’s called “Estman Radio.” It’s free radio actually, podcast radio, that everybody can contribute [of]. And what you see when you enter into our room, it’s actually a mini radio station. You will find a table which reminds to very old fashioned radio station. And several displays where you can also listen to previous contributions to the radio, and you can record, following very easy instruction. From music, to debate, dialogue. You can just leave a message for the others. The theme of “Declaration” can be starting point if they want or just a suggestion, but they are absolutely free to do what they want. Even students particularly passionate for music or sound art, can use the platform to execute their own creation.
But, something that you maybe don’t find in a real radio station is this wall with the screens where paper and the contribution that I will upload along the entire exhibition. It’s about the face of the people we meet. And then there is this small place; people can sit there and decide what they want to listen to.
A Richmond Community Creation
MARINELLA SENATORE: In every project, what is important for me, it’s not to have a specialist of art involved, and to create a very close community. 99 percent of my participants are always people not connected with art. So that’s the goal: it’s to celebrate the amateur, and the desire to make something.
There is also the opportunity to join one of the main outcome of this project: It’s a radio drama that will be written and directed by people of Richmond, so everybody can literally send ideas and contribute in the way they prefer to do. Then, professional and amateur actors will perform the story.