Voyages and mirages

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An old, yellowed photo of my loved ones, seen countless times as a child. A small mountain village in northern Italy. The forgotten story of a fountain, removed long ago, which was a meeting place to share memories and migration experiences. My desire to make the fountain visible once more, even if merely by tracing its outline on the ground where it originally stood, thereby reestablishing a direct connection with my origins and the residents of the place, a bond that was interrupted many years ago. They were the impetus behind this artistic work, which seeks to reflect on the theme of emigration, not only of yesterday, but above all of today, focusing on two fundamental questions: what does it mean to ‘leave’ a place and where is home? The video ‘Voyages and Mirages’ explores existential questions by recounting an authentic moment of connection between two people who, after a chance encounter near stones symbolising the old fountain, begin to exchange stories, experiences and personal memories, just as it happened to other people long ago. My random companion's story of emigration is intertwined with familiar images of my grandparents' abandoned house, blending with emotions that have remained dormant for years. Memories of childhood, now blurred, slowly resurface, accompanied by the rhythmic sound of manual labour on a construction site or the incessant shuffling of worker’s feet, creating a fascinating link between past and present. Gradually, the image of the fountain vanishes almost completely, leaving room for the story’s protagonist and the water - real or evoked - which become the real unifying elements. This water, in my vision, brings with it memories, traditions and experiences of emigration and transformation, generating a link between past and present in a network of collective and individual meanings that goes far beyond the simple cultural memory of a small community. Or the narration of a personal experience. The work also invites us to reflect on how every journey, whether physical or interior, helps to define who we are, revealing what is often invisible: the bonds, emotions and stories that unite us. The work explores human stories and transformations, highlighting how each journey can help recognise the many facets of our identity. Through the double meaning of the title the video also prompts us to consider not only the real and tangible experiences of travel, but also the illusions and hopes that accompany the journey of those in search of a better future. The ‘mirages’ represent the unattainable aspirations of an ideal life, while the ‘journeys’ embody the concrete choices that bring us face to face with reality. The video also becomes an invitation to explore the fine line between wishful thinking and reality, to reflect on the condition of migrants in the broadest sense of the term and to discover that, in the end, home can be found not only in places, but also in the bonds we create along the way.