Ciriaca + Erre's 2-Year Walk from Matera to Africa as Performance Art

Italian-Swiss artist Ciriaca + Erre (born 1973 in Matera) launched a durational performance titled '2 YEARS 2 WEEKS 2 DAYS - Homeless, Fearless, Borderless' on Earth Day, April 22, 2022. The artist abandoned all possessions to walk from Matera to Africa over two years, two weeks, and two days, foraging for food and carrying only essentials and a tent. The journey retraces human migration routes, ending at caves where Homo sapiens survived the Ice Age, highlighting migration as part of human evolution. The performance is under the patronage of the City of Matera, Fondazione Matera Basilicata 2019, and Monte Verità in Ascona, Switzerland, where a public talk will occur on July 21 at 6:30 PM. The artist documents the journey on Instagram. Ciriaca + Erre describes the work as a response to a 'loss of humanity,' aiming to reconnect people and nature through humility and compassion. She engages with diverse communities, including Buddhists and cultural creatives, and draws inspiration from Hermann Hesse's 'Siddhartha' and the utopian Monte Verità community. The artist previously performed at Museo della Permanente in Milan in 2012. The journey includes planned stops in India, China, London's Peace Pagoda, and Latin America.