Kristina Norman's 'Lighter Than Woman' Links Caregivers and Astronauts

Estonian artist Kristina Norman (born 1979, Tallinn) presents her performance-documentary 'Lighter Than Woman' at Santarcangelo Festival until July 14. The work juxtaposes the experiences of migrant caregivers in Italy with astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti, the first Italian woman in space. Norman explores the paradox of weightlessness and burden, examining how female caregivers—often from former Soviet countries—take on physically demanding roles while being socially invisible. The project originated from her creative residencies in Santarcangelo and Bologna as part of the Atlas of Transitions Biennale. Norman filmed a community of caregivers, mostly women from post-Soviet states, in their workplaces. She critiques the Italian model of female emancipation, arguing that migrant caregivers have become a byproduct of it, taking over roles previously held by Italian women. The artist links the caregivers' precarious existence to a broader condition of social weightlessness, where home and workplace blur. Norman, whose earlier work addressed nationalism and human rights, rejects essentialist gender views, citing Judith Butler's performativity. She notes that over two million Italian families employ an immigrant caregiver, often a woman from a former socialist country who becomes the custodian of traditional family values. The performance runs until July 14 at Santarcangelo Festival.