Four short films by Anne Katrine Senstad created in collaboration with Actor Bill Sage. ¹

In a critical look at the human condition in current world affairs, filmmaker Anne Katrine Senstad suggests that a healthy value system has been disenfranchised and replaced by what the French philosopher Jean Baudrillard (1929-2008) called a simulacra—a postmodern imitation of reality, consumerism, and predatory systems. Senstad with actor Bill Sage express these theories in the films which were produced remotely along with sound producer JG Thirwell, within the confines of isolation during the pandemic. Senstad and Sage sharpen our understanding of today’s crisis to embark successfully to rebuild a better world.

UTOPIE/UTOPIA (2020) theorises that tolerant co-habitation is a place of utopia, and reflects on ways of understanding community and individuality, societal and political systems, and solitude and the degree of contact necessary for individuals to exist and create at their own pace. Anne Katrine Senstad’s film explores the nuances of French philosopher Roland Barthes’ (1915-1980) term “idiorrhythmy”—a  productive form of living together in which one is autonomous yet recognises and respects the individual rhythms of others.

In Senstad’s first film in the series of four, exploring Barthes text “UTOPIE/UTOPIA” from his 1977 book How To Live Together, acclaimed actor Bill Sage, in a personal and evocative monologue performance, assumes the character of Barthes in the creative process of preparation for his University lecture series of four decades ago. Set in the context of our contemporary world that is gripped by societal and political crises amplified by the 2020 pandemic, Sage’s character explores various forms of solitude through Barthes’ contemplations on history, psychology and societal structures. Barthes’ text concludes that our “Sovereign Good” is a form of tactful cohabitation and that an inner state—the state of tolerance—is a place of utopia.

Anyone looking at Europe today sees a continent struggling for its future. We have no doubt that the EU is no longer a stable house: Nationalist and populist movements are undermining Europe’s democracy, civil liberties and the rule of law are in danger, and many citizens‘ fears of decline and worries about the future are real. Instead of 28 states, there are now only 27 united under the umbrella of the European Union. And hanging over everything is the sword of Damocles of the climate crisis with its existential threat to future generations and to our fellow creatures. These and many other concerns are not easy to address and are even more difficult to solve.

But if you look at Europe today, you see not only shadows but also a lot of light. We see developments that give us courage and optimism. Civil society is resisting cuts to the rule of law, tens of thousands of young people are taking to the streets in support of better climate policy, and a new generation of politicians is taking up positions in parliaments and city councils with pro-European ideas and concrete commitment. At the same time, European entrepreneurs and cultural workers are developing solutions and offers that combine economy and socio-ecological responsibility, culture and politics. And all of this is increasingly happening across borders. Something is moving in Europe, a new spirit is blowing and the beginnings of a political, cultural and economic awakening can be seen—driven by the ideas and longing for the future of the young generation.

The EU embodies the courage to give new ideas a space and a chance, even and especially when the deceptive promise of settling down and staying put is at its greatest. This special spirit that can blow when we dare to do something new is described by Gerhard Brunn when the new Commission President Jacques Delors took office in 1985: „From the very first moment, he instilled new self-confidence into the demoralised, disoriented Commission and, with a handful of brilliant staff and a fireworks display of ideas, got it moving in such a way that some people lost their hearing and sight.“ Even if all these ideas (from Delors and many others) were not always implemented immediately, they often came to fruition via detours, and sometimes years later. Whether in the case of the common currency, the dismantling of border controls or a common security policy, a moment has always been found to take a further step toward integration.

In this way, revolutionary things were created through a gradual but constant evolution of political ideas. We call this modus operandi of the European Union and its predecessor organisations the European revolution of small steps. We think it is time to recall this revolutionary spirit, to revive it and to activate it, specifically for the future. While grand and long-term visions and castles of thought are important and can be beacons for the future, the immediate future of Europe is in the hands of those who understand and walk the fine line between too little and too much.

The EU thrives on constant development and movement forward. So pausing is not an option. At the same time, the history of European unification teaches us that taking too big a leap or doing too much in one fell swoop can be equally damaging and counterproductive. The United States of Europe, the European Federation or the European Republic may be inspiring goals, but the way to get there is through concrete, bold and feasible steps that directly and positively improve life in the EU.

Those who want to prepare the ground for a new European Renaissance do not always have to start at the top and with the big questions. We are convinced that change and progress always begin on a small scale. This makes the more than 450 million citizens important players. They help decide the direction in which Europe is heading. But far too often, obstacles are placed in the way of their ideas and their drive, or they are unable to realise their potential for financial reasons. If you want to think about the future, you have to be able to afford it. We have a proposal to change that and give more people the opportunity to drive social, cultural and economic innovation.

The start-up credit would pay particular attention to an aspect that is often neglected in the discussion about start-ups and innovations: the connection between a successful start-up and the socio-economic background of the founders.

Unfortunately, it is still disproportionately men who found companies. Around 93 percent of tech funding goes to all-male teams.¹ So it’s not so much the individual’s dedication, sincerity or courage that determines entrepreneurial success in the early hours, but their financial and social background and gender.²

Those with a safety net can take greater risks. Those who are hyper-masculine take success home with them. The EU must counter this Anglo-Saxon and male-dominated logic and culture with something of its own and respond with an egalitarian, decentralised and diversity-oriented instrument. A European innovation starter credit will change hundreds of thousands of lives and make ideas fly in Europe.

A podcast on the Nyakasikana Project in Zimbabwe

Vera Chisvo created a short podcast with the Tamba Africa Social Circus (TASC) on their NYAKASIKANA project, which is about using art to change the narratives of persons with disabilities in Zimbabwe.

»The Tamba Africa Social Circus (TASC) is a creative advocacy and inclusive arts initiative using intangible cultural heritage to address social issues affecting young people from marginalised communities. Their program NYAKASIKANA is a creative and inclusive culture action project for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women and Girls through women-centered leadership development. It seeks to equip girls and young women from marginalised communities (especially those with disabilities) with leadership, autonomy and other critical life and social skills through culture, inclusive arts and social circus tools. Social circus provides spaces for girls to freely explore their women-centered power, express themselves, build personal, functional and knowledge-based skills, and engage in gender artivism campaigns on issues that are important and real to them. NYAKASIKANA’s mission is ›Leadership for sustainable change and creation of creative spaces where gender justice goals can be realized‹.« (Quote by Tamba Africa Social Circus, Info Brochure)

Why Italy’s Pavilion at Expo Dubai 2020 was a stepping stone for the Next Renaissance

Italy’s Pavilion at Expo Dubai 2020 is an experiment into reconfigurable architecture and circularity. This piece explains the relevance of multidisciplinary innovations to build better—and thus to empower the green transition of cities, communities and economies to a Resilient Renaissance.

The project puts forward an all-encompassing vision for reconfigurable architecture and circular design involving some of Italy’s most innovative companies. The pavilion features a multimedia façade made with two million recycled plastic bottles, new types of building materials—from algae and coffee grounds to orange peels and sand—and an advanced system for climate mitigation that constitutes an alternative to air conditioning. Reusing is also fundamental to how the structure was conceived. The pavilion utilises three real-sized boat hulls, which could potentially set sail after the event, to create and shape the roof of the building.

The Italian Pavilion building at Expo Dubai 2020, designed by CRA-Carlo Ratti Associati and Italo Rota Building Office, with Matteo Gatto and F&M Ingegneria, was officially unveiled on October 1st, 2021, as part of the first World Expo ever held in the Arab world. It envisions an architecture which challenges how buildings are usually developed for temporary events such as a World Expo, in which a lot of newly-built structures end up as landfill after just a few months. Contrary to that approach, the Italian Pavilion was conceived as an architecture that is able to transform itself through time, in a sustainable fashion.

CRA and Italo Rota also designed an installation for global energy company Eni, titled “Braiding the Future”, which focuses on biofixation of carbon dioxide. It recreates a microalgae cultivation using a spectacular cascade of 20-meter-high technological liana vines. Within each of the luminescent lianas flow the microalgae: the see-through circuit becomes a spectacular interpretation of the production technology of these unicellular organisms, which produce high-value compounds through a natural photosynthesis process. The technology of intensified biofixation of carbon dioxide that inspired the installation was developed in Italy by Eni, Politecnico di Torino, and start-up Photo B-Otic. It allows the intensive cultivation of microalgae through photobioreactors, lit through LED technology optimized on specific wavelengths. Located at the entrance of the pavilion and suspended at full height over a body of water, the installation is a clear reference to Eni’s concrete commitment towards a sustainable future, including possible fixation and enhancement of carbon dioxide.