The Passing of the Keepers of Salento at the opening of Moving Landscape, at the MUSEO FERROVIARIO DELLA PUGLIA, September 25, 2015
'The Passing of the Keepers of Salento' is a filmed declaration by the train keepers of Salento, Italy in the occasion of their historical role falling into obsolescence at the end of 2014. Made as part of the 'Moving Landscape' project in southern Italy the film was part of a wider effort to explore the ‘dramaturgy of landscape’ within the Salento, Puglia Italy, a region known for decades of migration and constant movement. Creamer carried out a series of audio interviews with the train Keepers, developing from this a speech, a form of public collective declaration. This was to be directed at the passing trains and passengers and was intended as a form of temporary monument to the role of the Keepers as it fell into obsolescence. Of course a futile, absurd gesture but also a poetic one in which the Keepers role would be publicly acknowledged and the intensity and complexity of the Keepers response to their situation would be given space. Final filming took place on Friday November 28th 2014 mainly at Noveli station, Puglia, with the declaration read over the public address system. This event was documented to make a short film.
In a final work for the book in December 2014 one of the three remaining Train Keepers will be asked to write me a letter describing something of their final day as a Keepers. It will begin “Dear Anne-Marie” and will be a descriptive record of the final moments of the Keepers role.
This is a 5 minute extract from a 11 min video. Part of publication ‘Moving Landscape2’ project, published by Progetto GAP (Italy) in 2015. Video is also a stand alone work.
Language of video: Italian, with English subtitles.
Also related works: text based version of video, & “Dear Anne-Marie” a scripted scenario, & performative intervention.
2015
The Passing of the Keepers of Salento at the opening of Moving Landscape, at the MUSEO FERROVIARIO DELLA PUGLIA, September 25, 2015
The Passing of the Keepers of Salento, still
Anne-Marie's attachment to the book Moving Landscape, containing the declaration and screenplay of The Passing of the Keepers of Salento.
The Passing of the Keepers of Salento, still
The Passing of the Keepers of Salento, still
The Passing of the Keepers of Salento, still
The Passing of the Keepers of Salento, still
The Passing of the Keepers of Salento, still
The Passing of the Keepers of Salento, still
The Passing of the Keepers of Salento, still
The book Moving Landscape, which includes four other artist, writers and documentation of the Moving Landscape project, which includes Anne's Marie work The Passing of the Keepers of Salento, the video, stills and the declaration and screenplay of the railway workers of Salento.