PERFORMANCE AND IT’S DECLINATIONS

Performances never rest, and their variations never stop evolving. Following Dr. Brown’s introduction to contemporary clowning we will be hosting an open doors lab show in which three actors come together to capture the audiences’s attention, bringing the piazza indoors and leaving them with an unforgettable experience. Just as Philippe Gaulier has trained talents such as Philip Burgers and Lucy Hopkins, whom we will soon meet here at Supernova, Philip has taught many other performers like Maya Ricote, Andy Duncan, and Cam Porter what to invent. Here they are, ready to share the stage with each other and, most importantly, with you in a show created exclusively for Supernova as part of the “Performance and its Declinations” project, initiated this week and curated by Diego Borella. This journey has just begun and is eager to grow and push your curiosity more and more.

CAM

Cam Porter is a comedian from Los Angeles and a recent graduate of the École Philippe Gaulier. He has appeared as a mime in HBO’s Silicon Valley and as a human fountain on America’s Got Talent.

MAYA

Maya Ricote, a Latin American actress, singer, and improviser turned clown, was previously a student at the École Philippe Gaulier. She is now preparing a clown show for the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

ANDY

Andy began his career with his brother as “The Duncan Brothers.” After various workshops with Dr. Brown, they created successful shows such as “Legs,” “Logs,” and “Jeremy Segway,” enjoying great success at various festivals and theatres in the UK.

PERFORMANCE AND ITS DECLINATIONS

Supernova has decided to explore and share with its audience an artistic form not yet widely popular in Italy. Known in English as stage performance or contemporary clowning, this is a unique way of being on stage and engaging with the audience. Its history traces back from street theatre to the circus, leading to Jacques Lecoq and his academy, Marcel Marceau, and several other great artists, actors, and performers. But forget the red noses and colorful balloons; here we are talking about pure stage magic, an organic meeting between artists and the audience, which is the foundation of true theatre.

This form of performance has now taken over theatres and festivals worldwide, from the Soho Theatre in London to venues in New York, Australia, and other countries with a more vibrant approach to stage experimentation. One of the most renowned schools globally is Philippe Gaulier’s in Paris. Among the many talents that have emerged from this school, Lucy Hopkins and Philip Burgers (also known as Doctor Brown) deserve special mention.

After winning the Best Show at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2012, Doctor Brown has never stopped performing, experimenting, and sharing his art, becoming a traveling sold-out artist worldwide.

To inaugurate this new series of stage experiences, Supernova has chosen Doctor Brown to kick off the events. You are invited on the 10th and 11th of July to attend his performances of “Bedfrdfgth” and “Beturns.”

Doctor Brown will also host a workshop on contemporary clowning on the 11th during the day at Supernova.

These three events mark the beginning of a long and well-curated series of upcoming shows, experimental workshops, gatherings, and more.

This is just the start of “Performance and it’s Declinations,” curated by Diego Borella. Using Supernova as our base camp, we aim to introduce this unique way of performing and living the stage to all kinds of audiences and in all kinds of situations. More news will follow soon.

Program:

July 10th: “Dr. Brown Befrdrgth” at 8:30 PM

July 11th: Workshop at 11 am: “Clowning with Dr. Brown-ing, finding vulnerability and stupidity on stage”

“Dr. Brown Beturns” at 8:30 pm

Biography:

Philip Burgers, in the role of Doctor Brown, has won numerous awards for his live performances, including the award for the best comedy show at both the Edinburgh and Melbourne International Festival Awards. This success brought Burgers to Channel 4 with The Dr. Brown Show through the channel’s Comedy Blaps. In 2014, Burgers brought Dr. Brown The Bexperiment to the Soho Theatre, where he also collaborated with Sam Simmons in Ceremony.

Supernova invites you on July 4th to the photography exhibition “Beyond the Ordinary.”

The exhibition, in addition to promoting our passion for photography, has the concrete goal of raising funds for the Community of Sant’Egidio, to support projects assisting the poor and promoting peace.

For friends who visit us at the inauguration, there will be a small welcome refreshment.

The most generous donors will receive a precious and unique photographic souvenir.

Project Six Ten and Spazio Supernova have partnered to curate an immersive, multi- sensory event held over 24 hours in June. Focused on themes of fluidity, connection, and transformation, the one-and-a-half day event will aim to ignite a river of ideas and creativity as expressed through art, sound, movement and light.

Centered around the movement of water and the impermanence of landscapes, the series will consist of a featured art show, a performance piece, community engagement and mindfulness experiences.

It is our vision that as participants engage in the event, they will inevitably transform the experience in a push-and-pull of energetic exchange with the artwork, with others, and with themselves, mirroring the natural flow of water and waves.

Set against the dynamic backdrop of the piazza — a spiritual representation of water and pulsating energy itself— beneath the arches of historied walls, and tucked into hidden spaces, it is our intent for participants to embark on a journey that transcends the ordinary.

FRIDAY, JUNE 28 | DAY ONE 19:00 | Vernissage

Purpose: Ignite initial dialogue around the series’ themes and preview the show. Through a bite-sized salon-style discussion, spark conversation on how we, as a collective in Rome, can inspire positive, future-focused transformations in the city through culture, creativity, and art.

Attendees: A curated yet diverse mix of +/- 30 artists, collectors, writers, advocates, and other change-makers who can inspire and activate cultural conversations in the community.

Experience: An intimate, invite-only aperitivo- style gathering designed to foster discussion and preview the show. Honoring the multi- sensory themes, sound, taste, and design will be curated against the series’ focus.

SATURDAY, JUNE 29 | DAY TWO 8:30 | Yoga with Sarah Jade

Purpose: Activating physical movement and breath through a curated yoga sequence aligned with the series’ themes of water, fluidity, and the summer solstice, fostering spiritual openness and transformation.

Attendees: Open to the public, up to 15 participants. Registration required to ensure proper space allocation, with walk-ins welcome if space permits.

Experience: An early morning session embracing new beginnings and fluidity. Led by Sarah Jade, a French health therapist specializing in movement, breathing techniques, conversation circles, and guided meditation. Curated mats, plastic-free water, and warming blankets provide a holistic and eco-friendly experience.

SATURDAY, JUNE 29 | DAY TWO

9:30 | Sound Healing with Francesca Spallino

Purpose: Participants are invited to immerse themselves in a transformative auditory experience, shifting the body’s internal rhythms and energies through the profound movement of water facilitated by sacred sounds and vibrations.

10:30 | Public Exhibition Featuring Artist Tina Mifsud’s Latest Works

Purpose: To explore the ever-changing landscapes of the Maltese coastline and the transformative power of the sea through artistic expression.

Attendees: Open to all. Registration is not

required. Attendees: Open to the public, 15 participants

depending on the space. Registration required, with walk-ins welcome if space permits.

Experience: Potentially held in the cave in order to maximize the resonant effects of sound and deep meditation. Led by Francesca R. Spallino (to be confirmed), an Italian integrated wellness practitioner specializing in metaphysics therapy. Mats, bowls, blankets, and plastic-free water will be provided.

Experience: The show will feature the latest works of Tina Mifsud, an emerging artist from Malta. In this series, Mifsud explores water and the Maltese coastline, inviting viewers to engage with themes of impermanence, fluidity, and placemaking. Attendees will experience a visually stimulating environment that mirrors the natural flow of water.

SATURDAY, JUNE 29 | DAY TWO

16:00 – 17:00 | Papier-Mâché for Children

Purpose: To bring children into the creative discussion and experience, giving space for them to shift the energy and actively engage with an imaginative moment.

Attendees: Invited children from Sant’Egidio and the public. 10 spaces available. Registration required.

Experience: The session will feature pre-made papier-mâché pieces that the children will paint. Tarps will be laid where necessary to protect the artwork, creating a safe and engaging environment. The pieces will ideally reflect the themes of water and movement, allowing the children to explore these concepts through their collective creation.

18:30 – 18:35 | Pantomime with Rachel Lopes

Purpose: To provide participants with a performance piece that evokes a sense of spontaneity, creativity, awe, and the unexpected.

Attendees: Open to all, limited only by space.

Experience: Set in the dim light of the cave, French multidisciplinary artist Rachel Lopes will curate a flash-in-the-pan pantomime performance that explores the interactions of water, impermanence, movement, and creativity. The use of light, or the lack thereof, will play a crucial role in creating a multi- sensory experience that captivates and transforms the audience.

19:00 | Closing Drinks

Purpose: To celebrate the culmination of the 24-hour event, honoring the artists, participants, and the creative journey.

Attendees: Open to all event participants, artists, and the public.

Experience: An evening gathering that brings together all attendees to reflect on the experiences shared over the past 24 hours. Set in an inviting atmosphere, with curated sound, the closing drinks will offer a space for celebration, continued dialogue, and the forging of new connections. Attendees will enjoy a curated selection of drinks.

Supernova is pleased to host ‘Fragments in Art,’ a cultural and artistic initiative that will be held on June 22-24 at our premises.

The event is promoted by Strade Diffuse, an association born out of volunteering and supporting individuals, with the aim of building a welcoming and caring society. This is geared towards a productive and shared future, where the family, broadly understood, becomes a privileged place for growth and education.

Program

Saturday, June 22

7:00 PM – 9:00 PM:

Presentation of the collective art project “Fragments in Art” and Vernissage with the Artists

Sunday, June 23

11:00 AM – 8:00 PM:

Figurative art exhibition

Musical accompaniment

Live painting art performance

Monday, June 24

10:00 AM – 6:00 PM:

“Creative Narratives Out Loud”

“Expressive Art Performance and Live Body Painting”

We look forward to seeing you for a weekend of art and creativity!

WHEREUPON, TURMOIL 

ALLEN FRAME

Readings  from Sounds in the Distance

by David Wojnarowicz

with Allen Frame, Gabriele Giugni, and Jeanine Oleson 

Palermo Publishing announces book launches of its first monograph of photography, Whereupon, a selection of images by New York photographer Allen Frame, from the late 1970s to the early 1990s, in black and white and color. Whereupon expands the premise of Allen Frame’s recent book Fever (color photographs of 1981, Matte Editions, 2021) to show a broader time period with the same subject: his artist friends in their apartments and lofts and on the streets and beaches of New York. Also included are scenes from theater rehearsals from Turmoil in the Garden, a series of monologues from David Wojnarowicz’s Sounds in the Distance which Frame co-adapted and co-directed, with Kirsten Bates, in 1983 and 84 in New York and Berlin. 

Like photographers from his generation, such as Cindy Sherman, Nan Goldin, and Philip-Lorca diCorcia, Frame uses a highly cinematic style, but in his case, the framing and mise en scène have also been influenced by his experiences in theater. As Mark Alice Durant writes “His images are not decisive moments, they are not exactly portraits, or figure studies either. They exist interstitially. A quiet intimacy and muted staging share the proscenium, as friends, acquaintances, and strangers pause and proceed through the mostly nocturnal tableaux. Allen’s photographs are unique in their elegant understatement, they observe without judgment, are melancholy but not sentimental, smolder without clamor.”

Biography

Allen Frame’s first photography monograph, Detour (KEHRER), was published in 2001, followed by Fever (Matte Editions) in 2021. His book Innamorato (Meteoro Editions) was published in 2023. He won the Rome Prize in photography in 2017/18, and spent a year in Italy at the American Academy in Rome.  After residencies in St. Petersburg and Ekaterinburg, Russia, through CEC Artslink in 2019, he returned to Italy in 2021 as a Director’s Guest at Civitella Ranieiri in Umbria. Much of his recent work has been made in Italy. Last year he co-curated, with Antonio Sergio Bessa, an exhibition called Luxe, Calme, Volupté about New York in the 1980s with 75 artists, a satellite show at Candice Madey Gallery coinciding with the exhibition Darrel Ellis: Regeneration, presented at the Bronx Museum.  Darrel Ellis is featured both in Whereupon and in Fever. Other notable artists depicted in the two books include Peter Hujar, Bill Rice, Cady Noland, Robert Gober, Siobhan Liddell, Frank Moore, and Nan Goldin.  Frame is an Adjunct Professor of Photography at Pratt Institute (MFA) and also teaches at the School of Visual Arts, the International Center of Photography in New York, and for Strudelmedia. He grew up in Mississippi and graduated from Harvard. His work is represented by Gitterman Gallery.

DESIRED SINCE FOREVER A week dedicated to Valerio Mieli.

Unpublished stories, photographs, materials prepared for his films, videos, music. An investigation into the creative process as well as a review of the objects produced. It opens Friday 22nd with a night-time walk around the space with the writer Eleonora Marangoni: she will chat about images and literature, solitude and feelings and the desire for elsewhere.

Supernova invites you to the concert of polyphonic choral music performed by the Gayan and Sabina Vox choirs directed by Cristina Berlinzani on Thursday, March 21st at 8:30 PM.

The Gayan choir was born, or rather it would be better to say “reborn,” at the end of 2022 with the participation of singers from two previous choirs, Gayan and Ali di Bambù. In this year and a half, they have tackled their first a cappella pieces, are exploring contemporary authors, and wish to further engage with Renaissance and modern polyphony.

The Sabina Vox women’s choir was founded in January 2024 and is a choir where the participants are highly motivated and already have some experience as choristers. They have the desire to explore the sounds of the female voice, which for them is a dancing flame, a breath of wind, a bright point in the infinite horizon of the sky. In this concert, they propose sacred and secular pieces that convey a message of love and hope for humanity and nature.

Supernova in collaboration with the American Academy has invited the renowned world chef Elena Reygadas to bring her Mexican cuisine to the Santa Maria Square in Trastevere. In an effort to celebrate the local community and bring everyone together at the same table to experience traditional Mexican food.

Elena Reygadas was named the best female chef in the world in 2023. Her cuisine is based on the respect for Mexican ingredients from small producers, and she owns and manages her main restaurant in Mexico City, Rosetta.

Supernova, in collaboration with the initiative of the Community of Sant’Egidio, invites you to “Ri-giocattolo” (Re-toy).

“Ri-giocattolo” is a second-hand toy market organized by the Schools of Peace of the Community of Sant’Egidio. This event takes place in many Italian and European cities in the month of December. It involves the sale of used toys with the goal of raising funds to support aid programs in Africa, such as the DREAM program against AIDS.

The event has a dual purpose: giving a new life to used toys, avoiding waste and pollution, and at the same time, helping children in Africa.

Benki, founder of the Yorenka Tasorentsi Institute, is a leader of the Ashaninka people working for nature conservation and the protection of indigenous peoples’ rights, cultures, and lands.

The Ashaninka, a millennia-old community and ancestors of the Incas, reside in the states of Acre in Brazil and Peru. With a population of approximately 100,000, they are one of South America’s largest indigenous communities that have maintained their autonomy and traditions.

Born in 1974, Benki is the son of an Ashaninka village chief and a Brazilian mother of white descent. He was designated as one of the “pajés” (those who transmit ancestral knowledge) of the Ashaninka and from a young age, he began advocating for the protection of their lands and the Amazon Rainforest.

Benki is a catalyst for change on cultural, environmental, and political levels. As a cultural and environmental activist and a pacifist spiritual leader from the depths of the Amazon, he has been a key figure in unprecedented cultural projects originating from the Amazon Rainforest that extend far beyond the region. His peaceful activism inspires and influences people globally.

The practical results of these projects have been remarkable: the expansion of sustainable environments, reduction in deforestation, decrease in violence, and improvement of social conditions. Benki’s work has earned him global recognition as a tireless advocate for indigenous peoples’ rights and the conservation of their cultures and territories. Among various accolades, in 2004, he received the Brazilian government’s National Human Rights Award, and in 2017, along with his Ashaninka community Apiwtxa, he was honored with the prestigious Equator Prize from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) for environmental projects.

Another crucial aspect of Benki’s mission is global awareness. Throughout his years of work, he has become the spokesperson for a generation of Indigenous Peoples concerned about safeguarding the world’s environmental heritage. He travels worldwide, spreading his message, garnering support and allies for nature and human rights defense, forging connections between indigenous peoples and official governments or institutions.