Hannah Hurtzig's participatory performance explores Milan's urban complexity

On December 17, 2023, at 5 PM, the participatory performance 'Il Mercato della Conoscenza e Non Conoscenza' by Berlin-based artist, curator, and dramaturg Hannah Hurtzig will take place at La Pelota Jai Alai in Milan. The event, conceived in 2004 and presented for the first time in Milan, celebrates the tenth anniversary of the cultural association Zona K. The performance transforms the venue into a bazaar-like arena where 85 experts—including urbanists, artists, architects, sociologists, activists, and economists—engage in one-on-one conversations with the audience about the complexities of contemporary urban life in Milan. These dialogues are broadcast live via Radio del Mercato and observed by attendees seated on bleachers. Each visitor receives an encyclopedia as a guide. Admission is free. Zona K, founded in Milan in 2011, focuses on interdisciplinary exchange among dance, cinema, music, theater, and visual arts. Since 2013, it has organized theater festivals, training activities, artist residencies, and productions with international artists. It has collaborated with institutions such as Triennale Teatro dell'Arte, Stanze, DANAE Festival, Teatro Franco Parenti, Olinda onlus, and Mare Culturale Urbano. In 2016, it won the Rete Critica award for best organizational project, and in 2018, the Altre Muse award from Hystrio. In 2019, Zona K won a tender to manage Casa degli Artisti, becoming a reference point for theatrical and performative activities.