SOPRA SOTTO, è una residenza artistica interdisciplinare e think tank creativo, il tema di quest'anno è stato “Sensi e sostenibilità”.
La Parte 3 è dedicata a Constance Van Berckel fondatrice e mente creativa di questa iniziativa nel cuore della Toscana.
INTERVIEW Constance van Berckel, founder SOPRA SOTTO.
1. About SOPRA SOTTO
Constance van Berckel is an independent curator and event organiser, who has been active in the art world for almost a decade.
She established SOPRA SOTTO in 2022 as an interdisciplinary art residency and creative think tank, aiming to merge art, personal development, and nature's lessons for societal change.
Each edition explores different themes, encouraging participants to question outdated paradigms and reimagine new systems in harmony with nature. The program brings together interdisciplinary creatives to foster collaboration, and to exchange new ideas and different perspectives. The residency provides a space for artists to slow down, reconnect, and collaborate while using art as a tool for exploration, research, communication, and education.
2. About the Spring Residency
SOPRA SOTTO’s upcoming residency took place this spring 2024 in March and April. The theme of the residency is “Senses and Sustainability - reimagining fashion, textile production, consumerism and our connection to nature”.
Five interdisciplinary artists and creatives were invited to Tuscany to explore the tension between consumerism and environmental consciousness, and the paradox of materialism and spiritual connection to nature in Tuscany, particularly within the influential fashion and textiles industry. The senses were taken as the starting point, as portals between the self and our surroundings, in order to slow down, observe, and take in information with curiosity and non-judgement, instead with our preconditioned views and biases.
3. How does your passion/experience integrate with your focus on sustainability ?
With SOPRA SOTTO, my goal is to harness the power of art and creativity to inspire positive societal change, particularly in the realm of sustainability. Within the residency program, sustainability is not just a buzzword but a guiding principle.
We explore the intersection of fashion, sustainability, and creativity, and we aim to positively transmute outdated concepts and lifestyles into sustainable practices.
Through workshops, dialogue, and creative exchange, SOPRA SOTTO facilitates the exploration of innovative approaches to fashion that prioritize environmental responsibility, social equity, and ethical production methods.
4. How can your work inspire people to live more sustainably?
My work aims to inspire people to live more sustainably by providing a platform for creative exploration and critical reflection on our relationship with the environment and society. By fostering collaboration and cross-pollination between disciplines and industries, we explore innovative approaches to sustainability that prioritize environmental responsibility, social equity, and ethical production methods.
Art is used as a tool to research, question, communicate and then educate a wider public.
Whether through art installations, performances, or community events, our work seeks to spark conversations and inspire positive action towards a more sustainable future.
