Artist’s residence at the Marchetti Refuge on the summit of Monte Stivo, Municipality of Arco, Province of Trento.


FOREWORD

In Habitat launches the second edition of “Da quassù…Residenza d’artista sul Monte Stivo”, to host a group of contemporary visual artists for a month-long residency in a mountain refuge at 2012 m above sea level. The project is a collaboration with Rifugio Marchetti Stvo, MART of Trento and Rovereto, the Province of Trento, with the patronage of the Municipality of Arco and the support of Trentino Marketing. “From up here the Earth is beautiful, without borders or boundaries”. Da quassu, “From up here” … Soviet cosmonaut Jurij Alekseevič Gagarin on April 12, 1961 knew that height can broaden perspective and translate into new mindsets and attitudes for individuals and society. Located on top of Lake Garda, the refuge offers a three pronged view over the territories of Lombardy, Veneto and Trentino, and a privileged relationship with the natural elements. The mountain turns into a profound experience of awareness of those elements and values that are “essential”, and those that are superfluous or accessory. Shared isolation crafts coexistence, empathy and respect. It is a family-like experience, a community ready to support each other in the creative journey. The facility is almost energy self-sufficient, gathering energy from the sun and water from the rain. The consciousness of limited resources inspires their mindful management during the stay. This experience communicated through artistic expressions is meant to spread a message of change, a critique of our way of life, a broadening of perspectives and a fundamental return to a life of community.


MARCHETTI STIVO REFUGE

The Marchetti Refuge, named after the founder of the Alpine Society of Trentino, was established in 1906. With Italy’s entry into the war in 1915 all activity of the Society ended, and in 1917 it was officially dissolved by Austrian authority for its alleged pro-Italian activities.  The refuge was severely damaged as a result of the war, and its reconstruction was not completed until 1954. The dedication and efforts of the Arco section of the Society were crucial in preserving the refuge’s legacy, and it remains a testament to the Society’s commitment to mountain preservation and education. After the war, the Alpine Society of Trentino continued its efforts to promote mountaineering and outdoor activities in the region. The Marchetti Refuge was an important part of these efforts, serving as a hub for climbers and hikers from around the world. In recent years, the Marchetti Refuge has undergone significant renovations and upgrades, making it a modern and comfortable shelter for visitors. Today, under the care of young manager Alberto Bighellini, the refuge continues to attract hikers, climbers, and mountaineers, providing a glimpse into the region’s rich cultural and natural heritage


OBJECTIVES OF THE RESIDENCY

• Provide artists with a space to work, research and reflect in a mountain environment, afar from the frenzy of urban life.
• Raise awareness on our limited natural resources.
• To raise awareness of energy sustainability.
• Encourage a vision detached from city reality.
• Stimulate collaboration and the dissemination of values of mutual support and help.
• Activate relationships between artists in residence and on the territory, in order to develop new opportunities with the art system.
• Stimulate reflection on values and practices of inclusiveness, wholeness, mutual aid and support.
• Develop research for a new representation of reality that can respond to new social, health, political and environmental urgencies.
• Find new pathways to valorize Italy and its cultural heritage and future

PERIOD OF RESIDENCY

Monday 3 July to Sunday 30 July 2023


EXHIBITION OF WORKS REALISED DURING THE RESIDENCY

• From 30 July to 30 September to Marchetti Stivo Refuge
• In November 2023 on a date to be defined at Habitat Ottantatre in Verona
• June 2024 on a date to be defined at Galleria Segantini in Arco

EVALUATION CRITERIA

The selection of artists is based mainly on portfolios and CV, giving priority to those whose research is coherent with the points included in the call.


OBJECT AND RECIPIENTS

The residency is open to all visual artists over the age of 18 with no limits of genre or nationality and without distinction of language and technique.
The artists will be selected by the jury chosen by the social promotion association In Habitat with the support of Denis Isaia, curator of MART and Alberto Bighellini, manager of the refuge.
The selected artists will be guaranteed board and lodging at the Marchetti refuge on Monte Stivo for the duration of July 2023. The production of the work, on the other hand, will be the responsibility of the artists themselves.
The works created will remain on display for the entire summer inside the refuge or nearby and will then be exhibited in the autumn in an exhibition curated by In Habitat at Habitat Ottantatre in Verona. For all those works that are site-specific, perishable or in the case of artistic actions, the exhibition modalities will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis according to the specificities.
The works remain the exclusive property of the artists who produced them.
The hut can only be reached on foot. A request must be made directly on the registration form in the notes section for the transport of any heavy material required for the stay and the realisation of one’s work. The organising secretariat is however always ready to support the artists in residence should they need support, materials and specific requirements.
Due to the difficulties in reaching the refuge, which does not guarantee accessibility to all the potentially interested public, the residency will be documented with photo and video services that can be viewed on the relevant social channels and updated weekly.
Life in the refuge is marked by the weather situation and characterised by basic services that are not always efficient.


HOW TO APPLY

To participate in the competition, please send an email to info@inhabitataps.com with the subject line “Candidatura Da Quassù 2023” attaching the following materials in a single PDF document: 

• Portfolio including statement of the artist / collective / artist couple.
• CV including telephone number and email (in the case of collectives / artist couples please include the contact details of a referent).
• Letter explaining the reasons for the application.
• Valid document (identity card or passport – front and back).
• Accounting copy of the payment.
• Optional – Project to be realised complete with description, materials used, dimensions. 

The PDF document must not exceed 50MB. 

Entry fee

The registration fee is 15 € including In Habitat association membership to be paid by bank transfer.

Bank: Banca Etica
Causale: Monte Stivo Residence
IBAN: IT06J0501811700000017159807

Application deadline

Applications, complete with all required material, must be sent no later than 14 May 2023 at 12 noon.


PERSONAL DATA PROCESSING (PRIVACY)

The information and data collected will be used in accordance with the new European Regulation GDPR no. 679/2016. Their use is permitted exclusively to the recipient of the message, for the purposes indicated in the message itself.


INFO & CONTACTS

For any doubts, questions or to receive further information, please write to info@inhabitataps.com.


GALASSIA MART

The proximity of the refuge to the MART headquarters and the artistic nature of the project have led to the structuring of a collaboration between the museum and the In Habitat association.

During the residency, in fact, the artists will have the opportunity to participate in a free guided tour of the museum and a member of the MART curatorial staff will be present on the selection panel.