PROJECT

In ‘mapa:reverie,’ Federico Protto explores a linguistic journey, a polyglot and gibberish blending, woven with fashion history and migratory experiences. He ponders the connection between textile and language, the emergence of new collective languages, and the potential territories they create. Through researching sung narratives, melodic poems, and new linguistic forms, reminiscent of troubadours, he draws from European fairy tales, commedia dell’arte, Latin-American indigenous myths, 90’s New York queer culture, and 20th Century magic realism novels.
This research, shared in performative moments throughout 2024, reflects Federico’s background in fashion design, emphasising the link between textile and narrative. Beyond Eurocentrism, the work celebrates human connection (love) and queer identity through transcultural storytelling. Shrouded in mist, curtains, and beddings, a performative research focus lies on gestures and symbolism of performance divas and nomadic arts. Accompanied by the sounds of Clarinet and electric guitar, and a publication serving as a libretto and index, ‘mapa:reverie’ invites to a sensorial exploration of migration stories and singular-plural self-expressions. After the series ‘mapa:lecture-performance’ and choreographic research ‘mapa:fragmentos’, ‘mapa:reverie’ presents the third aspect of my long-term research MAPA. This artistic research dialogues between Belgium and his birthplace Uruguay.