Images Beyond Images
Castello Volante, Corigliano d’Otranto, Thursday 8 May – from 9.30 am to 1.00 pm
A morning of visions, stories and presentations to conclude the “Images Beyond Images – Reuse in Cinema and Photography” project, an initiative conceived by the Corigliano d’Otranto Comprehensive School, Melpignano and Castrignano de’ Greci (Lecce) and funded by ‘Cinema e Immagini per la Scuola’, promoted by MIC and MIM – the CineScuolaLab1 initiative to promote cinema and audiovisual media in schools
On show:
a short film and a behind-the-scenes video
two exhibitions (photography and collage)
an audiovisual installation
a collective performance curated by the students
An opportunity to share the outcomes of workshops, insights and reflections on visual languages, the creative reuse of images, active citizenship and the role of art in schools.
The exhibitions will also be open at the weekend.
The event is open to the public and admission is free.
The project
‘Images Beyond Images – Reuse in Cinema and Photography’ is a project promoting cinema and audiovisual languages, conceived by the Istituto Comprensivo Corigliano d’Otranto, Melpignano and Castrignano de’ Greci (Lecce) and funded by ‘Cinema e Immagini per la Scuola’, promoted by MIC and MIM – Azione CineScuolaLab1. The programme, which involved 80 pupils and 20 teachers, set itself the following objectives: to educate pupils and the educational community in the correct and careful observation of the images we see and produce; to encourage critical and thoughtful reflection on contemporary tools and the new media used for image production, and to promote their informed use; to provide theoretical and practical skills relating to the film industry; and to stimulate creativity and produce audiovisual content. Throughout the programme, discussions arose on important current issues such as environmental education, human and civil rights, the concept of active citizenship, combating bullying and the issue of urban regeneration.
Towards an ecology of images
The project provided an opportunity to reflect on the accumulation and overproduction of images and videos, and their dissemination online. The students were encouraged to adopt a qualitative rather than quantitative approach to visual production, using methodologies and practices to transform existing still and moving images, drawing on public and private archives and the artistic projects of leading directors and photographers from both the past and the present, many of whom hailed from the local area (Puglia and Salento).
The approach adopted was that of image ecology: reuse both as a creative technique and as a means of enhancing the visual heritage that recounts the realities of yesterday and today. This perspective has fostered a strong awareness and greater attention to what is seen (and not seen), aiming to counteract the fragmentation and iconic illiteracy that is very common amongst the younger generations.
‘Images Beyond Images’ also provided an opportunity to engage with local places and cultural realities, thanks to the contribution of a extensive network of project partners who developed the various workshops.
