Ulysses

12 migrants portraits

An artistic collaboration with Francesca Marconi. With the help of Yacine Benseddik.

In Milan, in via Padova and surrounding areas, 12 readers of different nationalities read verses from the 5th chant of the Odyssey in their mother tongue. (6) Homer’s words, printed in the various languages and diverse alphabets, have journeyed to us and become a chorus which gives a voice to the many worlds inhabiting this city.

The 12 video recordings (1,2) were shown in the area of via Padova from the 15th of February 2011, hosted each week by a variety of venues, such as shops, bars or restaurants. (5)

The multi-language Odyssey collection is now hosted by the public library with a special bookshelf made by Giacomo Moor and is available for all.

The project has also been presented as an open air photo exhibition. (3)

An artist book of the project has been printed in 2012 in 100 copies. 42 colour pages + internal leporello - Size: 145x160 mm. (4,7)

Ulysses was born through a Living Library project supported by the Milanese libraries and by Fondazione Cariplo Vodafone, with the aim of promoting connections, exchanges and acknowledgement amongst the inhabitants of via Padova and surrounding areas.