Geologic subjectivities: an Archaeology of the (un)thought

Lisbon’s history merges with that of the  conquest of the ocean. In its architectural landmarks, the city evokes water and rationality as infrastructures of expansion, and manifests its role in the European colonial project. In this operatic performance, Lodovica Guarnieri proposes to re-enact the city’s built heritage as the material coalescence of a collective imaginary. The plot explores hidden narratives, political conflicts and oceanic present and past memories to unearth the colonial and affective infrastructures intrinsic to the city’s unconscious.

During the performance the audience is invited to collectively enact the history by following the lead of the main actress. By choosing what subject or story they wish to embody, the public will engage physically and emotionally with some of the archetypes that form its subjective imagination.