On December 4, on the feast of Saint Barbara and exactly ten years after the symbolic action at the heart of the project, MAN museum will host the presentation of the book in girum imus nocte by Giorgio Andreotta Calò, published by Humboldt Books. The event will feature the artist in conversation with MAN director Chiara Gatti and curator Elisabetta Masala.
On the night of December 4, 2014, in the heart of the Sulcis Iglesiente region, a symbolic action unfolded, with Giorgio Andreotta Calò and about ten miners at its center. Conceived as a ritual journey from sunset to sunrise, this unique event wove together memory, art, and politics, reflecting on the history and identity of the territory.
Starting from the Nuraxi Figus mine, the last active mining site in Italy, the participants walked to Punta Trettu, where a group of fishermen welcomed them and ferried them to the island of Sant’Antioco.
Here, on the shore illuminated by the flames of a burning boat, the community gathered around a symbol of transformation, celebrating the night of Saint Barbara, a revered figure in the Sulcis area and the protector of miners, sailors, geologists, and bomb disposal experts.
In this way, the end of an era was symbolically marked.
A decade later, the book in girum imus nocte offers an important reflection on the meaning and legacy of this action. Through essays by Elisabetta Masala and Massimiliano Mollona, interviews, and photographic contributions, the book delves into the multifaceted layers of Calò’s work: its poetic and anthropological value, its political dimension, and its exploration of collective rituals as tools of resistance and regeneration.
This editorial work provides a valuable contribution to understanding the relationship between contemporary art, community, and socioeconomic transformations. It focuses on documenting the project and highlights its profound connection with the region. The book presentation will serve as an opportunity to reflect on the action’s legacy and to discuss the significance of art as a means to interrogate history, create memory, and inspire new collective imaginaries.
