Last week I was flown out to Rome, then onto Teramo in Italy to attend the MARLISCO (Marine Litter in European Seas – Social Awareness and Co-Responsibility) 1st international Art Contest. Happily, my ‘An Undesirable Archive’, Photographic installation of 160 images of pieces of plastic marine litter in situ on beaches had been awarded second place in the contest.
The MARLISCO exhibition and award ceremony was held in Teramo and hosted by the Italian television presenter and author Tessa Gelisio. (See images below)
‘An undesirable Archive’ found a temporary home in the Museo Civico Archeologico “F. Savini”. We saw it fitting and decided to situate it opposite ancient artefacts that had been found on the coast in Abruzzo, until hopefully it travels to MuMa Sea Museum of Genova in June. (See image)
My trusted guide and interpreter for the trip Mara, showed me around the city, and then on to Giulianova in the evening to see a small piece of the Italian coast, to eat Pizza and drink Italian real ale. On my way there and back I got to see the wonderful Abruzzo mountain range with the Gran Sasso d’Italia peak rising above the 15km tunnel we had to drive through.
It was a whirlwind of a trip, but enjoyable, and I am very glad to have been a part of MARLISCO’S first contest, which I hope will continue to promote the problems of marine pollution in not just European seas.
