Georgina Starr's Sound Art Installation in Matera's Sassi

On March 16, 2019, British artist Georgina Starr (born 1968 in Leeds) unveiled her sound art piece "The Eternal Ear" at the Hotel Sextantio – Le Grotte della Civita in Matera, Italy. The work is part of Matera Alberga, a project of Matera European Capital of Culture 2019, produced by Fondazione Matera-Basilicata 2019 and curated by Francesco Cascino (Art Consultant, Founder and Artistic Director of Arteprima) in collaboration with Christian Caliandro. The installation is located in a deconsecrated chapel within the hotel, situated in the ancient Sassi district. Starr describes the piece as a metaphysical journey guided by a female voice that leads visitors backward through time, starting from the ancient cave architecture and moving into their minds to reclaim memory. She drew inspiration from the complex history of the Sassi and the writings of Argentine author Adolfo Bioy Casares. The project involves six different hotels in Matera that replicate the old Vicinati of the Sassi, transforming them into spaces of hospitality and creative experience. For the inauguration, Starr also presented an original performance. The initiative is supported by CAM (Consorzio albergatori materani) and Fondazione Carical.