Wool Stories
a new history at the Botto woollen mill
Reactivate the heart, body and mind
Wool Stories was a festival that was held the 8th and 9th of june 2013 in Miagliano in the Fratelli Botto’s woolen mill, which closed many years ago. It wasn’t just an event, it was the beginning of a cultural programme. It’s roots are in the mill and in it’s people.
Memories to reactivate the heart. Reactivating the heart to gain the courage to start again.
Towards a different aspect, that has it’s roots in wool and in textiles and a new leaf in the digital era, the green valleys, interested visitors, the work culture and a new feeling of community. Not to be afraid of the crisis, but to be knowing.
A presentation of stories and of wool.
Wool Stories has immediately presented it’s artistic matrix, with a show in the raw wool warehouse, which became Sensoria, an intense zone where the masses of wool gave sensorial solidity to the words.
Conducted by Manuela Tamietti (Stories of Piazza) the show centred around the stories of the ex factory workers, of various generations and roles.
Artists such as Simona Colonna (violincello), Raffaella Antoniotti (diatonic organ) , the voices of Oliviero Cappellini and Erika Borroz and the comical vibrancy of I Nuovi Camminanti created the theme that sustained the emotions of the promoters, called upon to explain their own vision. Theatrical intermissions of works that were presented for the first time on Sunday (of which Antonia Pozzi and Burattinesque) were the base for an event of meaning and engagement.
And finally, the story returned to the creativity of textile products, represented by biellese companies such as Camisa ‘d Campiun, FilRus e The Wool Box, assembled on exhilarant models, that fueled the emotions of the public.
Elena Straudi, arpa in tessitura
Raffaele Antoniotti, organetto diatonico tra la lana sucida
Filippo Miotto e Stefano Temporin, Campi di Tempo
Martina Pillepich interpreta "Io fui Antonia Pozzi", accompagnata dal contrabbasso di Luca Boggio
I Nuovi Camminanti
Selene Villani, Roberta Correale e Laura Rossi (scenografia e costumi) presentano "Burattinesque"
A path of memories
This is the title which was suggested for the words of the ex workers and directors who, after many years, returned to the factory. Manuele Cecconello and Maurizio Pellegrini were ready to collect their emotions that were blossoming and they represented them in an initial brief version, intense in its sense and images. The heart of Wool Stories, the interviews associated personal experiences and places, repopulating the spaces with sounds, facts, loves and work. Dedicated to the people who lived the factory with the knowledge to have participated in a creative story.
Video: 28''
M.Cecconello: http://filmprospettivanevskij.blogspot.it/
M. Pellegrini http://www.videoastolfo.com/
INSIDE THE MILL
Camisa 'd Campiun, nuova impresa che produce camice da stoffe di campionario, di grande bellezza
Piccola Fata, un'associazione che insegna ai ragazzi ricamo e tessitura
Festa della Lana di Ternengo, associazione che da 14 anni celebra la transumanza e la lana
Sentire l'aria, mostra fotografica di Andrea Taglier, sulle tracce di Andrea pastore contemporaneo
Burattinesque, l'ultima produzione di Storie di Piazza
Roberta Correale in Burattinesque, l'ultima produzione di Storie di Piazza
GUIDED TOURS
Beatrice (Beatours) e Nigel (Biella The Wool Company) were the animators of the mill visit, accompanying 2 groups in the spaces and in the stories. It will be possible to repeat the visit during future events and at other times by appointment.
WOOL CAFE', a serious chat
Reflection in a friendy atmosphere, with a coffee and wishing to exchange ideas on the future and to participate in it. This first presentation of Wool café was a trial, with a the promise to meet up again, in the Fratelli Botto’s mill or in other places of work or culture. To activate, networking, knowledge, to develop ideas.
Wool Cafè was opened by Francesca Conti and Lorenzo Canova from Acta, an association dedicated to culture, tourism and the environment. Backing was provided by the voice of Oliviero Cappellini and the music of Harpist Elena Straudi. Cushions and chairs were recycled for use by Ecru Atelier.
LANAPARK (Wool park) – activity, learning, fun
Understanding by action, by observing, and by having fun. This is the meaning of Lana Park, the fun park created around wool in the weaving department of the mill.
Osservando microrganismi e insetti
Inventando un gregge di pecorelle
La piscina di lana
Laboratori di feltro, da Wool Box!
Telaio gigante
blog: simolivieri.tumblr.com
SENSORIA: touch, hear, understand
For 2 days the raw wool warehouse (greasy is the word used by experts) became Sensora, where you could see, touch and breathe in the wool. It’s the heart of Biella The Wool Company, a Non profit consortium that receives wool from small farmers, that undergoes selection and is then sold to the textile industry, reintegrating the farmers income. Carmine knows everything about wool, and he offers his experience with pleasure, he has the passion for wool.
The workers meal
Ideas of Lorenzo Canova, Giovanni Lozia and Piero Bruna, together with the help of the Miagliano local association, the workers meal reproposed traditionally poor biellese dishes, from the necessity of not throwing anything away. The same that is the backbone of Wool Stories, on the path of mamories, of materials, of the creativity and cohesion of a community.
The Wool Race
Sunday morning 9th june, was held the first edition of the Wool race. 14 teams along a route that symbolically followed the workers paths, carrying a bale of 20kg of greasy wool. Menabrea beer, the races sponsor, added some local identity to the event and much “allegria”
Idea of Nigel Thompson (BTWC) with the great creativity of the Miagliano Association Proloco, with the assistance end experience of Alessandro Zappa.
PARNERS
PRESS
The Friends of Wool Committee
As of 1/6/2013 the Friends of wool has become a Committee for the people. Who is interested in participating in the development of it’s objectives, with a collaborative and propositive spirit, is very welcome. Write to us and we will be in touch!
Credits
Storie di Lana is a concept of:
Nigel Thompson e Carmine De Luca (Biella The Wool Company)
Manuela Tamietti e Franco Grosso (Storie di Piazza)
Lorenzo Canova e Francesca Conti (ACTA)
Coordination of event: Nigel Thompson, Francesca Conti, Manuela Tamietti
Communication: Francesco Rossetti, Mauro Vinetti, Francesca Conti, Franco Grosso
Artistic coordination: Manuela Tamietti
Coordination of settings and exhibilitions: Francesca Conti
Coordination of interviews: Lorenzo Canova, Riccardo Vinetti
On field coordination: Mauro Vinetti
Coordinamento of Wool Race: Pro Loco Miagliano, Alessandro Zappa
Catering: Pro Loco Miagliano
Visitors management: Proloco di Miagliano
Art poster: Gastone Cecconello
Video: Maurizio Pellegrini, Manuele Cecconello, Luca Pastore
Photography: Andrea Taglier
Reporter: Domenico Sarleti
Historical research: Roberto Pozzi, Massimo Buratti, Giorgio Lozia
Dissemination: Beatrice Ramella Pezza
Actors: Nuovi Camminanti (Anna Bruni, Carlo Cantone, Massimo Negro) Storie di Piazza (Oliviero Cappellini, Erica Borroz, Selene Villani, Roberta Correale, Martina Pillepich)
Musicians: Raffalele Antoniotti, Simona Colonna, Elena Straudi, Campi di tempo, Luca Boggio
Costume designer: Laura Rossi
Sound Technicians: Ted Consoli, Marco Roccati
Lights and phonic: Massimo Ariatta, Maurizio Grosso, Number One, Teatro ODS
Tailor: Anna Maria Viaro
Logistic: Franco Zampollo
Facilities: Pro loco Tollegno, Pro loco Ternengo
Security: Ettore Ghielmetti, Leonardo Andrian
Wool Cafè: Francesca Conti, Lorenzo Canova
Workshop: Simona Olivieri, Laura Rossi, Franco Grosso, Wool Box
Crossword puzzle: Francesco Rossetti
bags of Storie di Lana: Isabella Pisca, Domenica Canova
Acknowledgments:
FilRus, Luciano Rossi
Wool Box, Emilio Langhi e Linda Allegra
Associazione Gaia: Matteo Negro, Luisa Bricarello, Federica Bertoni
Piccola Fata: Pierangelo Costa
Camisa d' Campiun: Maurizio Grosso e Alexandr Platon
Festa della Lana di Ternengo: Maurizio Alfisi
Ex Asilo Ferrua: Umberto Biasetti, Roberta Varoli, Marinella Bianco
Centro Rete Archivi tessile e moda: Mariangela De Chirico
Associazione Marajà
DOCBI
Cassa di Risparmio di Biella
Biblioteca Città Studi
Ecomuseo Valle d'Elvo
Giuseppe, Roberto e Pier Vittorio Balbo
Thanks for the active participations and symphaty:
Roberto Ramella Pezza, Gisella Ghioni, Anna Pedroncelli, Tiziana La Pila, Patrizia Pappalardo, Domenico Sarleti, Elena Viani, Gilberto Pozzallo, Franco Borlo, Diego Siragusa, Donata Cerruti, Giulia Chiaberge, Alessandro Mognaz, Gennaro Albanese, Marina Grosso, Enrico Bernardi, Nicola Olla, Désirée Bruna, Giuseppe Canova, Fulvio Sella, Antonio Canova, Stefano Moro, Marco Tiboldo, Carla Lovati, Maria Laddaga, Manuela Pozza, Giuseppe Vinetti, Piero Bruna, Riccardo Comotto, Paola Bacchi, Maria Laura Del Piano, Marco Bertazzoli, Francesca Bertagnolio, Raffaela Salmasi, Daniele Bergantin, Pamela Grosso, Denis Grosso, Sante Laconi, Carletto Barbieri, Giovanni Vachino.