A COMMEMORATION STRATEGY IN THREE ACTS
During WWII partisan members, deserters
and over 4000 Jews found refuge in Catholic convents and monasteries through the help of dozens of priests and nuns. The priests and nuns embraced these imperiled people regardless of their political or religious affiliation. The majority of these heroic priests and nuns remained in the shadow of history, with the exception of martyrpriests such as Don Pietro Pappagallo, who were captured and killed because of their acts of resistance. The focus on martyrdom, which the victims did not choose, emphasizes dramatic punishment instead of the act of successfully helping other people. But how to commemorate an act that, in its nature, is so hidden and silent? For the monks, daily routines of asceticism were monuments which had to be maintained through ongoing repetition [Philo Judea’s “On Contemplative Life”, 40AD]. The act of embracing endangered and vulnerable people by priests and nuns during WWII can best be commemorated through repetition; through helping the Lampedusa immigrants, the endangered and vulnerable of today, regardless of their political and religious backgrounds. The immigrants need protection, work and reciprocal contact with Italian citizens; relationships in which they do not just take, but in which they also give of their culture, knowledge and talents. The implementation of this ‘historioanalogic’ program on the actual spot of the convent on Via dei Genovesi in Trastevere, involves three interconnected acts of urban and architectural intervention. First is the unfolding of the convent’s wall, which offers the public a tangible experience of the place where the commemorated acts happened. The second act is the interaction between locals, immigrants and visitors from around the world in a ‘Syrian’ tea garden called “Santuario”. Santuario is one of the gardens of the convent which will become an enclosed public space after the unfolding of the wall. The third act is the telling of the rich, and still unfinished, (hi)story of the convent on Via dei Genovesi on a mural on the inside of the wall. Within the mural the silent resistance of priests and nuns is commemorated as the initial point of unfolding (at this point the wall of the convent opens up), but at the same time, the mural is also one of the many stories which the inner walls of the convent have to tell.
SISTER ACTUALIZATION OF THE SILENT RESISTANCE OF PRIESTS AND NUNS A COMMEMORATION STRATEGY IN THREE ACTS
The walls that were erected to provide safety
and seclusion now make the actual places of commemoration inaccessible to the public. As this prevents the stories of silent resistance to be told, the wall has to be opened-up. With this act we free from seclusion the great story of the discipline and the selflessness that made silent resistance during WWII possible. Yet, the opening of such a massive wall, means also hacking the seclusion, one of the essential characteristics of the convent. The fold in this massive wall, reminiscent of the articulate shape of a nun’s hat, is therefore powerfully symbolic. The wall of seclusion appears torn open as if it were a piece of fabric. People entering through the fold can experience the sanctuary where the convent’ s legacy has been preserved for centuries.
UNFOLDING THE CONVENT’S WALL
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Embracing immigrants within this convent
perpetuates the monumental act of helping people in need. By transforming one of the previously fenced-off convent gardens into a tea garden where refugees share culture, foods, talents and stories, the idyllic inner courtyard becomes a multi-cultural oasis. In this space, good deeds will be perpetually celebrated in the low-key interactions between inhabitants, neighbors and visitors.
MEETING IN A ‘SYRIAN’ TEA GARDEN
The rich past of the convent is depicted by a
mural on the inside of the convent’s wall. The mural does not merely focus on the dramatic acts of resistance during WWII, but places these acts in context of the rich history of T walls that were erected toacts provide safety thisheconvent. The courageous during and seclusion, now make themoment actual places WWII are portrayed as one in a of commemoration inaccessible the public. centuries-long history of nunsto helping the As this prevents the of the silent resistance underprivileged. Thestories story on wall tells to bethe told, theofwall to recent be opened-up. With also tales thehas most immigrants this hack theended very essence of theacts’ convent’s and we stays open so that ‘new can be typology, Therefore theit opening added. Asit’s theseclusion. massive wall unfolds, literally gesture underlines theupside awkwardness ofone act turns inside out and down the the situation. The fold, reminiscent on the wall which initiated it all: to the articulate shape of a nun’s hat, disregards the wall’s massiveness andofispriests torn asand if itnuns. were a the silent resistance piece of fabric. People entering through the fold can experience the sanctuary within and the convent’s history there where it really happened.
STORYTELLING CONTINUES INSIDE
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