Maria Luisa Frisa's Quarantine Letter: Sci-Fi Reading and Reflections on Isolation

In a letter published by Artribune as part of a series titled 'Letters from the Domestic Front,' curator and IUAV professor Maria Luisa Frisa shares her experience of isolation during the COVID-19 lockdown in Italy. She describes turning to science fiction literature, particularly Philip K. Dick's 'A Scanner Darkly' and Frank Herbert's 'Dune' (1965), and reflects on the suspension of normal life. Frisa draws parallels between the current moment and dystopian narratives, mentioning the replicant Rachael from 'Blade Runner' and the film adaptation of 'A Scanner Darkly' by Richard Linklater (2006) starring Keanu Reeves. She rejects nostalgia, viewing the lockdown as an exercise in confronting fear and solitude, quoting the Bene Gesserit litany against fear from 'Dune.' The letter is part of a series initiated by Artribune, with previous contributions from Antonio Mancinelli, Alessandra Mammì, Domitilla Dardi, Antonio Forcellino, and Federica Lonati.