"Shadows and Lights" is the cross-border traveling exhibition featuring the elderly
Sacile, September 18-22
Trieste, September 28 – October 6
Ljubljana, October 7-18
SACILE TRIESTE LUBIANA – The art of Caravaggio can restore the unique and marvelous sense of dignity that belongs to every person, regardless of their vulnerability. This is where the extraordinary journey of "Caravaggio: Shadows and Lights" begins, a photographic exhibition that will be on display at the Ospitale San Gregorio in Sacile, on the ground floor, from September 18 to 22. Promoted as part of CrossCare 2.0, a project co-financed by the European Union within the Interreg VI-A Italy-Slovenia Programme and led by the Itaca Social Cooperative, together with the Social Service of the Livenza Cansiglio Cavallo Municipalities, the Municipality of Sacile, and the Residenza Protetta di Sacile, the exhibition aims to bring the viewer closer to the world of the elderly, seen as individuals bearing dignity, regardless of physical and cognitive decline.
A CROSS-BORDER TRAVELING EXHIBITION
The first distinctive feature of the exhibition is its cross-border and itinerant nature. After Sacile, it will be set up in Trieste at the Asp Itis premises from September 28 to October 6, and then in Ljubljana from October 7 to 18 in two separate locations: the DEOS Trnovo Elderly Center and the Črnuče Elderly Center.
In Sacile, "Shadows and Lights" will be open for visits from September 18 to 22, from 10:00 AM to 12:30 PM and from 3:00 PM to 6:30 PM. The inauguration is scheduled for September 21 at 12:00 PM, and the exhibition will remain open continuously from 10:00 AM to 6:30 PM on that day.
In Trieste, the exhibition will be open from September 28 to October 6, every day, including Sundays, at the Asp Itis premises, from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM and from 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM.
The inauguration is scheduled for 12:00 PM on Saturday, September 28.
In Ljubljana, the inauguration at the DEOS Trnovo Elderly Center is scheduled for 1:00 PM on October 11. The exhibition will be open every day from October 7 to 18, from 9:00 AM to 8:00 PM.
THE ELDERLY FROM THE VAGLIETTI CORSINI NURSING HOME
The second distinctive feature is that the 25 works on display feature the elderly residents of the Vaglietti Corsini Nursing Home in Cologno al Serio (BG), as well as the caregivers and volunteers who experience the many facets of old age every day.
The idea for the exhibition came from Maurizio Cansone, president of the Vaglietti Foundation, who had the insight to turn to Caravaggio because his art brilliantly represents the act of "caring," of putting the person at the center, and his use of black evokes the concept of neuromotor decline.
The elderly residents posed and interpreted Caravaggio's works, becoming the protagonists. The photographic shot, much like the daily act of care, lifted the dark veil of physical and cognitive decline, shedding light on lives lived, beautiful faces, thoughts, loves, and desires. Capturing elderly people in the roles of Caravaggio’s famous characters meant restoring their dignity and telling a story of a journey to be revisited by grasping the power of the lived moment.
CARAVAGGIO AS A TOOL FOR DISSEMINATION AND KNOWLEDGE
As mentioned, "Shadows and Lights" is promoted as part of the CrossCare 2.0 project, thanks to the essential and valuable contribution of the Livenza Cansiglio Cavallo Municipal Social Service and the Municipality of Sacile, institutional partners of the Interreg project.
"The work we are carrying out," says Katia Flora Pantarotto, head of the Livenza Cansiglio Cavallo Municipal Social Service, "also involves other entities and projects active in the area, supporting vulnerable people facing the challenges of old age. It includes opportunities for intergenerational awareness, such as this exhibition, which offers reflections and direct experiences, providing a window into the world of the elderly and the difficulties it can bring. Our goal is to co-create a community capable of taking care of its aging population."
THE ROOM OF DISPERCEPTION AND THE SNOEZELEN SPACE
In addition to the photographic journey, the Room of Disperception will allow visitors to experience firsthand the perceptual difficulties affecting the elderly with dementia. Meanwhile, through the Snoezelen method, visitors will be able to personally experience controlled multisensory stimulation of the five senses—hearing, sight, smell, touch, and taste—in a selective and controlled manner.
GUIDED TOURS FOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS
CrossCare 2.0 aims to address the aging population in the cross-border area effectively by developing shared strategies, enhancing the synergy between existing services, and creating an integrated and personalized care model for the elderly and their families. It also seeks to experiment with new tools for community cohesion and networking, such as community agreements.
In this context, the initiative includes involving secondary school students from the Sacile area, inviting them to participate in an experience designed to raise awareness among their generation. The goal is to encourage them to approach adult social responsibility with a more attentive and unbiased perspective on aging.
Classes that participate will be able to experience the entire program with the support of operators from the Itaca Cooperative, who specialize in community animation and supporting vulnerable elderly individuals, as well as social workers from the Livenza Cansiglio Cavallo Municipal Social Service who are involved in the project.
Guided tours for schools will be available by appointment only on Wednesdays or Fridays during school hours, between 10:00 AM and 12:30 PM. Each guided tour will last approximately one hour. For information and reservations, contact Azzurra Lanfranconi at 347-690-0492 or Maura Murgia at 339-423-9098.
THE YELLOW UNIT OF THE SACILE PROTECTED RESIDENCE
During the inauguration of the exhibition in Sacile on September 21 at 12:00 PM, Paola Peruzzetto and Mara Demurtas will speak. Peruzzetto is a social worker at the nursing home for the Municipality of Sacile, and Demurtas is the contact person for the Yellow Unit of the Protected Residence for the Itaca Cooperative. They will discuss activities related to World Alzheimer’s Day that took place at the Day Center, including the exhibition of works and crafts created by the elderly who use the service.
“CrossCare 2.0: Integrated and Shared Strategies for Capitalizing on the CrossCare Model” is a project co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and is part of the Interreg VI-A Italy-Slovenia 2021-2027 Programme.
Led by the Itaca Social Cooperative, the project includes a partnership of 15 entities and organizations. The primary partners are six: in addition to the leading partner Itaca, there are Aps ITIS, Ipab Residenza per Anziani Giuseppe Francescon, DEOS Celostna Oskrba Starostnikov d.o.o., Dom Starejših Občanov DSO Grosuplje, and Azienda Speciale Don Moschetta. Associated partners include AsFO, Aulss 4 Veneto Orientale, the Municipality of Portogruaro, the Municipality of Sacile, Federsanità ANCI Friuli Venezia Giulia, the Livenza Cansiglio Cavallo Municipal Social Service, Združenje Koncesionarjev Domov za Starejše, Zavod Aktivna Starost so.p., and AsuGI.
The Interreg VI-A Italy-Slovenia 2021-2027 Programme is a European cross-border cooperation program. By funding cooperative projects between Italian and Slovenian partners, the Program enriches the cross-border area with joint actions and investments aimed at improving the quality of life for the population, while also safeguarding and promoting cultural and natural heritage. For more information, visit: www.ita-slo.eu.
