Maria Rebecca Ballestra's Echoes of the Void explores deserts worldwide
Maria Rebecca Ballestra (Ventimiglia, 1974) launched Echoes of the Void, a two-year project examining thirteen deserts globally, including the Sonoran, Namib, and Agriate deserts. The project, supported by Signal Fire residency, FRAC, Maraya Art Center, and Barda del Desierto, uses video, audio, and performance to create ephemeral works. Ballestra also organized the first Festival for the Earth at Ca' Foscari University in Venice from November 16-18, featuring international guests like Pulitzer Prize winner Kenneth Weiss and Goldman Prize winner Ykal Ang'elei. The festival includes an artist residency on Certosa Island with artists Alan Sonfist, Marina Velez, and Giuseppe La Spada. Echoes of the Void will conclude with an exhibition in Venice and a bilingual catalog.
Key facts
- Maria Rebecca Ballestra announced Echoes of the Void, a two-year project exploring thirteen deserts.
- The project began with a residency in the Sonoran Desert, Arizona.
- Three stages completed: Sonoran Desert (USA), Namib Desert (Namibia), and Agriate Desert (Corsica).
- Next stages: Rub' al-Khali (December 3-13) and Patagonian Desert.
- Future stages include Gobi, Sahara, Great Basin, Chihuahuan, Kalahari, Great Victoria, Arctic, and Antarctic.
- Ballestra is the founder and organizer of the Festival for the Earth at Ca' Foscari University, Venice.
- The Festival for the Earth runs November 16-18, 2016, with international speakers.
- The festival includes an artist residency on Certosa Island with Alan Sonfist, Marina Velez, and Giuseppe La Spada.
Entities
Artists
- Maria Rebecca Ballestra
- Alan Sonfist
- Marina Velez
- Giuseppe La Spada
Institutions
- Signal Fire
- FRAC (Fonds Régional d'Art Contemporain)
- Maraya Art Center
- Barda del Desierto
- Università Ca' Foscari di Venezia
- Center for Contemporary Art and Natural World
- Tethys Research Institute
- Istituto per la Dinamica dei Processi ambientali del CNR
- Global Infrastructure Basel
- ZKM
- Axia Materials
- Indiana University
- Università di Padova
- Università Roma Tre
- Black Environment Network
- Vento di Venezia
- Artribune
Locations
- Ventimiglia
- Italy
- Sonoran Desert
- Arizona
- USA
- Namib Desert
- Namibia
- Agriate Desert
- Corsica
- France
- Rub' al-Khali
- Patagonian Desert
- Argentina
- Chile
- Gobi Desert
- Mongolia
- China
- Sahara Desert
- Africa
- Great Basin Desert
- Chihuahuan Desert
- Mexico
- Kalahari Desert
- Botswana
- South Africa
- Great Victoria Desert
- Australia
- Arctic
- Antarctica
- Venice
- Certosa Island
- Laguna nord di Venezia
- Dorsoduro 3246
- Ca' Dolfin
- Dorsoduro 3859/A