ELYSIUM is a cultural exchange centre, ignited by the visionary collaboration between a Spanish surrealist and an Italian literary classic, both confronting the collapse of established meanings. This resonates deeply with our current global climate, marked by a pandemic, conflicts, technological advances, environmental degradation, and widespread disillusionment. A transformative intervention in the old citrus auction near the M4H harbor emerges as a cultural exchange center. ELYSIUM aims to cultivate a new collective consciousness through a…
ELYSIUM is a cultural exchange centre, ignited by the visionary collaboration between a Spanish surrealist and an Italian literary classic, both confronting the collapse of established meanings. This resonates deeply with our current global climate, marked by a pandemic, conflicts, technological advances, environmental degradation, and widespread disillusionment. A transformative intervention in the old citrus auction near the M4H harbor emerges as a cultural exchange center. ELYSIUM aims to cultivate a new collective consciousness through a rich tapestry of workshops, seminars, events, performances, and exhibitions, celebrating diverse traditions and cultures.
VESTIBULE serves as an inviting gateway, offering tantalizing previews of upcoming workshops. IX.TREACHERY (Monster Hall) is a versatile primary workshop space. III.GLUTTONY (Auction Hall) and II.LUST (Begging Indoor Balcony) provides dynamic social spaces for interaction and relaxation. I.LIMBO (Being) acts as the living room, offering contemplative spaces for reflection. VI.HERESY (Cantine) is a vibrant area for dining and debate, while V.WRATH (Office) offers a hub for brainstorming and reflection. A corridor linking the cantine and office enhances the flow and connection within the context.
Drawing inspiration from Dante’s “Inferno,” ELYSIUM’s design represents a transformative journey through various realms. Pathways connect previously isolated rooms, symbolizing a unified journey akin to Dante’s. The descent and ascent embody deeper integration and connection, mirroring the quest for enlightenment. The outdoor balcony evokes Dante’s reflective moments looking upon the suffering souls, offering occupants a removed yet contemplative perspective. Influenced by OMA’s Fondation Galeries Lafayette in Paris, ELYSIUM boasts a unique “exhibition tower” with a movable floor. An automated rack and pinion system aligns platforms with existing floor levels, creating a new connection with the roof. Workshop tables mimic this mechanism, allowing for site-specific works and dynamic interior layouts, transforming ELYSIUM into a “curatorial machine.”
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The unlikely collaboration between a Spanish surrealist and an Italian literary classic seemed blasphemous to some. Yet, both artists, despite differing beliefs, shared a common struggle at a crossroads in their lives, grappling with the destruction of previously held systems of meaning and searching for new ways to navigate existence.
“I Feel myself and the world is at a similar crossroads. Years of a pandemic, an onslaught of brutal wars and genocides, unprecedented technological advances, environmental destruction, and waves of mass hatred have all left many of us in a position where our systems of faith and meaning have collapsed in some form.”
