Last Thrusday and Friday I went to Macao (Milan) for the late-afternoon public assembly.
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| "Macao Square - Spontaneous Movement" |
Macao (M^C^O) is a movement, a group, an
happening, a long-lasting political performance, a …. - I don't
know how to define it – born out of about one year of meetings of some Milan-based art workers around cultural politics in Milan (and in Italy).
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| Galfa Tower, Milan |
On 5th May the core group of Macao “occupied” the Galfa Tower, a
skyscraper in the central zone of Milan. This action is linked to the
occupation of abandoned and unused cultural spaces in Rome, Naples,
Palermo and Venice. On 9th May, at dawn, after only 3 days, police expelled the occupants from the Galfa Tower. Without any sort of violence or aggression,
people kindly moved out right outside in the street below and settled there. The traffic had to be stopped – and Lord knows how hysterical the Milanese becomes at even the tiniest distress in the traffic!
Soon a lot of people gathered actively to support Macao and take part to it, especially when public assemblies take place, assemblies where decisions are made together.
If in the other Italian cities the
movements occupied public spaces with an overt vocation to culture,
the case of Milan is different. In theory the Galfa Tower is not a public space,
since it is property of Mr.Ligresti. But Mr. Ligresti, who was condemned for crimes of bribe, is a shady figure that is working a lot for Milan and the Region Lombardia (Milan is its capital), gaining a lot of money with his construction enterprise (not to mention the rest of his businesses). Saying that Mr Ligresti's connection to politics is suspicious is an understatement.
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| A moment of the public assembly |
The Galfa Tower has been left
unused for 15 years now.
I heard somebody saying that the bills of the building (and that is why it is still
have electricity in it) are still on the charge of the Region Lombardia, which is a Public Agent, that is: it is charging
on the citizens who cannot use it, since it is of private property.
In the same condition you can find
plenty of buildings of huge dimensions here and there in Milan.
Yesterday, 19th May, Macao moved from the Galfa Tower to Palazzo Citterio, another symbolic spot of the cultural politics of Milan.
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| People moving from the Galfa Tower to Palazzo Citterio |
Macao is not defining these acts as occupation. Macao is freeing spaces that should by public.
Macao is stressing the Power.
(Macao taking the Subway on the way to Palazzo Citterio)
The Major Pisapia offered Macao to move to the ex-factory Ansaldo by submitting their application to the call for assignment, just like any other cultural association, institution, entity. But Macao is not an association or anything of the kind, nor it wants to become one, and MACAO is not looking for A place.
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| Arrival at Palazzo Citterio |
Macao is a new way of questioning the Power, an artistic activity to stress the system and modify its rules through an artistic act.
For what I seem to understand – since the over-exposition to media is been confusing concepts and has been vomiting an
uncontrollable production material about it – Macao is asking to turn spaces like the Galfa Tower into Public Goods to be on assignment to Culture, if they have been left unused for over 5 years. If this happened, Milan would turn into the most interesting city in the world.
The whole happening of Macao raises political and cultural issues stimulating the debate and asking for participation which is opened to everyone's interventions. Decisions are took altogether.
I don't mean everything is doing fine. The whole process is facing constant difficulties and negotiation. Enthusistic adherence is counterparted by rough criticisms, especially because of the "occupation" which is quick judged as an illigal act, and difficulty of even conceiving the possibility of having an horizontal and democratic decision-making not aiming to individualistic interests.
Still, a new wind is blowing. Macao is doing something, first of all. Macao is stimulating the debate about what is the border between Private and Public in a country where the Public does mainly Private intereste. MACAO is issuing the role of Art and Culture, their relationship to community, territory and institutions.
I keep my finger crossed for it to keep on this way and free more spaces.
God knows how Milan (and Italy) needs the whole system of politics to come off its hinges.
THE ONLY WAY TO CHANGE THINGS IS TO ACT.
For those in Italy: JOIN MACAO in any way you can!
For all the others: PLEASE, SPREAD THE WORD!
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"Macao frees
Macao imagines
Macao lives
Macao is at 12, Brera Street (Subway MM2)" - Saturday, 19th May
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Pics are taken from Macao's Facebook Page
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