The Project – Embrancing Places

WORKSHOP WITH THE COMMUNITY

The heart of the project is born from the encounter with the people of the village. Pairs of citizens, connected by any form of emotional bond, take part in a workshop where they discover the power of the embrace through simple yet profound practices.
Throughout the process, participants develop perceptive listening techniques that open new dimensions of bodily and emotional awareness. The experience culminates in the creation of an authentic performance, captured in Virtual Reality to preserve the magic of these shared moments forever.

CREATION OF THE VR WORK AND VIRTUAL TOUR

Each village receives its own unique VR artwork: an immersive artistic video that transforms citizens’ embraces into an unprecedented emotional experience. Set against the backdrop of local architectural beauty, the piece becomes a performance, a historical document, and a powerful tool for emotional connection.
The protagonists are real people with genuine bonds, guiding viewers on a journey of tenderness and discovery. The experience turns emotions into movement, training both body and heart in the art of embracing.
In parallel, an immersive virtual tour is created to reveal the hidden treasures of the territory, with a special focus on places that are less accessible yet rich in history and beauty.

PERMANENT INSTALLATION

The village becomes the permanent guardian of its own digital story. A VR headset with a dedicated app is installed in a strategic location, within a specially designed corner that enhances its presence.
Local staff are trained to manage the installation, ensuring that both visitors and residents can access this immersive window into the territory at any time. The artwork thus becomes an integral part of the village’s permanent cultural offering.

EVENT AND DISSEMINATION

The launch of the artwork is a moment of collective celebration. Through a participatory performance involving 10–20 headsets simultaneously, the experience turns into a choral event.
Each participant, guided by a dedicated introduction, learns to embody the gestures and sensations of the virtual embraces. This gives life to a collective performance where every individual movement resonates with those of others, creating a unique harmony between personal intimacy and shared experience.

NETWORK BETWEEN VILLAGES

The project expands beyond the borders of a single village, creating a “map of embraces” that connects all the participating communities. This virtual network becomes a powerful tool for mutual promotion, where each village highlights the artistic, landscape, and cultural uniqueness of the others.
Traveling events bring the artworks and virtual tours to new territories, turning each presentation into an opportunity for discovery and appreciation. In this way, a virtuous circle is created among communities that support and promote one another, collectively celebrating the richness of Italy’s human and territorial heritage.