ULYSSES
2011- present
Milan
A project by Francesca Marconi and Alessia Bernardini
with the collaboration of Yacine Benseddik
In Milan, in-between via Padova and the surrounding areas, 12 readers of different nationalities read verses from the 5th chant of the Odyssey in their mother tongue. Homer’s words, printed in the various languages and diverse alphabets, have journeyed to transform into a chorus which gives voice to the many worlds inhabiting the city.
The 12 video recordings were shown in the area of via Padova starting February 15th, 2011, and, hosted weekly by several venues, such as shops, bars or restaurants.
The Odyssey, translated into the different languages spoken by the community of the via Padova area and then published, is now part of a permanent installation at the Crescenzago library: a dedicated shelf houses the Homeric poem in Albanian, Arab, Bengalese, Chinese, French, English, Italian, Portuguese, Russian Spanish, German and Turkish. Further editions in other languages will be added in the future.
Ulysses was born through a Living Library project supported by the Milanese libraries and by Fondazione Cariplo Vodafone, with the aim of promoting connections, exchanges and acknowledgement amongst the inhabitants of via Padova and surrounding areas.
Produced by ASSAB ONE for BIBLIOTECA VIVENTE.
Supported by Comune di Milano, Settore Biblioteche.
With the contribution of Fondazione Cariplo, Fondazione Vodafone Italia.
U l y s s e s
