Performing PAC 2019: DeGenere Explores Gender and Identity in Milan

The PAC (Padiglione d'Arte Contemporanea) in Milan held its annual Performing PAC festival from March 2019, titled "DeGenere." Curated by Diego Sileo, the three-day event featured talks, performances, and video screenings addressing gender, identity, and performativity. The program included a talk by philosopher and activist Paul B. Preciado, known for his work on biopolitics and pharmacopornography. The collective Claire Fontaine presented works critiquing technological solitude and human rights abuses, including light-boxes based on images from Yemeni prisons. South African artist Tracey Rose performed "Pussies with Dicks," a puppet show engaging with Black Feminism and post-apartheid narratives. Fashion designer Antonio Marras created a site-specific performance titled after a Rita Pavone song, blending pop culture and memory. The festival also featured a video selection and musical performances. Sileo emphasized that the theme "DeGenere" was chosen to avoid limiting discussions to gender studies, instead exploring broader questions of identity—sexual, political, cultural, and social—in public space. The event was supported by the PAC's Scientific Committee, including Ferran Barenblit, Silvia Bignami, Emanuela De Cecco, and Iolanda Ratti.