Round table: Entangled Histories. Italy and the Horn of Africa
In collaboration with the Italian Cultural Institute of Montreal
Casa d’Italia, 505 Jean-Talon Street E (In presence and on Zoom)
Zoom link
Detailed program
In French, English and Italian
Free admission
Moderator: Marisa Portolese
Guests: Irene Campolmi, Uoldelul Chelati Dirar, Francesco Filippi, Fabrizio Gallanti, and Dawit L. Petros
As part of Dawit L. Petros. Spazio Disponibile, a major exhibition by artist Dawit L. Petros initiated, organized, and circulated by The Power Plant Contemporary Art Gallery (Toronto), presented at Galerie de l’UQAM from November 4, 2022 to January 21, 2023
Concluding its North American tour at Galerie de l’UQAM, the exhibition Dawit L. Petros. Spazio Disponibile presents the artist’s vast field of research on the complex layers of colonial and post-colonial histories linking Eritrea, Italy, and Canada. For the final days of the exhibition, Galerie de l’UQAM and the Italian Cultural Institute of Montreal are pleased to invite you to a round table moderated by Marisa Portolese which brings together artist Dawit L. Petros, curator Irene Campolmi, as well as Uoldelul Chelati Dirar, Francesco Filippi, and Fabrizio Gallanti, experts in geopolitical and architectural issues related to the Italian colonial history in East Africa.
Through open and multilingual exchanges (French, English, Italian), the guests will stimulate the discussions surrounding the exhibition by addressing the historical, geographical, and cultural perspectives specific to its Montreal iteration. Complex matters such as the role and impact of monuments on collective memory will be addressed within the walls of the Casa d’Italia, the landmark building established in 1936 on Jean-Talon Street whose strong symbolism is featured in Petros’ work All at one point (Casa, Study I).
The panels will also focus on past and present migratory trajectories. The expertise of the speakers on these subjects will shed light on how new population movements bring up repressed histories. These critical explorations ultimately aim to engage with local audiences and communities to give voice to their stories and experiences.
The round table will be followed by a drink.
