The Culla Caetani Cantiere della Memoria (Workshop of Memory)—a project dedicated to the memory of the statesman—opens on September 23rd.
Type
Temporary Installation
Artists
Genres
Installation
Textile
Glass
Sculpture
Video Art
Performance art
Painting
Duration
23 Set 2026-09 Mag 2027
Location
Da definire
Address
Da definire - Roma [RM] Italia
Further information
Contact
Author
Cristina Loizzo
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Codice CSWEMS - ID 4063 - UM 2026-09-22 10:57:22
On the 110th anniversary of Aldo Moro’s birth, the “Cantiere della Memoria” di Culla Caetani (Construction Site of Memory for the Caetani Cradle) symbolically opens. This monumental installation, conceived by conceptual artist Lokrima (Mirko Tosti), is a large cradle-music box that intertwines art, design, mechanical engineering, electronics, music, and political memory.
The work – already partially realized – now enters a "work-in-progress" phase intended to be shared while still in gestation. The project chooses to reveal itself as it takes shape, assigning an integral role in the artwork to the construction site itself—to the labor, materials, expertise, and the people building it. It launches on the Christian Democrat statesman’s birthday, aiming to celebrate the man at the moment of his birth rather than his death, thereby transforming the occasion into a time for reflection and observation, far removed from standard commemorative rituals.
Culla Caetani takes as its starting point the image of the car in which the statesman’s body was found on Via Caetani, yet it radically subverts the meaning of that image. The original tailgate of a vintage Renault 4 becomes part of the framework of a large cradle-music box, transforming a site of death into a symbolic device that evokes origins, birth, and the idea of the future. The result is a work that embodies both the intimate dimension of the cradle and the public dimension of republican memory: a portable monument and a space for reflection where material, history, and political thought intersect. The musical heart of Culla Caetani also arises from a collision between seemingly irreconcilable worlds, drawing on atmospheres and musical languages currently being explored: an evolving dialogue between sacred, monumental elements – evoking the power of J.S. Bach’s St. Matthew Passion (BWV 244) – and late-1970s pop, such as Patty Pravo’s Pensiero stupendo. This journey of sonic and timbral research was designed to avoid the rigid use of pre-existing pieces; instead, it evolves through original scores, developed in collaboration with composers and conductors, including Maestro Enrico Melozzi. On September 23rd, the selection process begins for a special Committee of 100, which will form the living body surrounding and protecting Culla Caetani. This group – comprising one hundred diverse perspectives selected by Hilda Family Benefit and creative director Mirko Tosti (to whom one can also apply as a contributor by emailing hildafamily153@gmail.com) – is called upon to act as guardian of this secular reliquary. The project aims to progressively bring together scholars of the Moro Affair, curators, gallerists, institutions, entrepreneurs, cultural practitioners, artists, journalists, musicians, and professionals in technology and augmented reality, with the goal of creating a community of participants who play an active role in the creative process. The Committee will be engaged through discussions, in-depth materials, reflective exercises, and private video interviews. It is not merely an advisory body, then, but an integral part of the process through which the artwork takes shape and builds a community of thought around itself. In this way, the Republic’s memory and trauma are transformed into a permanent laboratory of civic consciousness, making dialogue surrounding the artwork an integral part of the project. Artisans, skilled workers, and professionals from the Marche region were involved in the creation of Culla Caetani, each contributing to a specific aspect of the project: electronics, plexiglass, bodywork, textiles, tailoring, upholstery, and componentry. This network of expertise transforms artisanal know-how into an integral part of the artwork’s language. The precision of engineering and industrial design engages with the manual craftsmanship of local workshops, while reclaimed materials, Italian fabrics, and custom electronic components combine to create an object that defies mass production and fleeting consumption. Culla Caetani also marks the initial phase of a broader project, Reliquie Laiche (1978) – a series of technological artworks and art objects derived from the original large-scale installation. Plaques and box-frames will revisit elements of the work and the memories of 1978, integrating technology, digital archives, and augmented reality to extend the reflection on Italy’s republican history beyond museum walls. The project originated within the Racconto (Narrative) division of Hilda Family Benefit – an organization that complements its focus on listening, welfare, and well-being with a parallel commitment to memory, creativity, and the revitalization of critical thought. It is within this context that Lokrima – a conceptual artist, filmmaker, and creative director – conducts his research, bringing a cinematic approach to memory and an exploration of the intersection between matter, history, and political thought to the creation of Culla Caetani. The journey will culminate in Rome in May 2027, when Culla Caetani is unveiled at a special private, invitation-only event, transforming the anniversary of Moro’s death into an active moment of regeneration for thought and collective consciousness. Thus, on September 23rd, a project site opens – one that is itself a work of art – a space where the memory of Aldo Moro once again becomes matter, sound, labor, technology, and, above all, thought.