Anna-Lea Kopperi: Unelmien saari / Isle of Dreams, 56th Venice Biennale
Completion year: 2015
Technique: Participatory environmental artprocess, dreams written and pieces of glass chosen by 48 children of Murano, documentary shortfilm 15’30’’
Keywords: yhteisötaide, ympäristötaide, käsitetaide, tilataide, osallistaminen, yhteiskunta, luonto, saari, unelma, tulevaisuus, kirjoittaminen, historia, ihminen, lapsi, tapahtuma, lasi, kierrätys, jäte, video, filmi, dokumentti
Isle of Dreams, a collection of dreams about the future of the isle Sacca San Mattia in Murano. The local primary school children make a trip to search for a treasure on the manmade island, which came into being from waste of glass factories in Murano. The children pick up specific pieces of glass from the ground corresponding with their written dreams. The participatory action empowers the children to value their own thinking and involvement in their environment. Through the artwork a diversity of the possible futures is brought into the public discussion – seen through the young eyes and imagination of the children. The collective collection of dreams and the pieces of glass is presented at the 56th Venice Biennale as precious jewels, purified, relocated and finally returned into pieces of an artwork, as they originally were.
As a part of the installation the documentary film reveals observations and surveys of the site at its current state. Side by side with the collection of glasses the film conveys glimpses of the collective process on the nearly un-habited island in different seasons.