On Saturday 11 June 2022, Jupiter Woods is hosting the first public restitution of the Ministry of Loneliness, the ongoing research project by the Italian artist Rebecca Moccia, developing thanks to the support of the Italian Council X artists’ international research grant issued by the Italian Ministry of Culture. The research, held in different geographical contexts (such as the UK, USA, Japan, and Italy), explores our current emotional state: particularly, pointing out our relationship with pain and loneliness, starting from the common experience of isolation during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The project takes off, practically and symbolically, from the Ministry of Loneliness, a ministry appointed in the United Kingdom in 2018 after the murder of the Labor, anti-Brexit, and strong supporter of women’s rights MP Joe Cox, killed by a white supremacist man (with the cry “This is for Britain!”) while she was working on the so-called Commission on Loneliness. The commission had found that up to 18 % of British adults felt they are often or always alone. The British example has been followed in 2021 by other countries, such as Japan, in order to battle the increasing suicide rates aggravated by social isolation and the Covid-19 crisis at hand.
Rebecca Moccia’s work at Jupiter Woods comes after a recent artist’s residency period at Outset Climavore Residency in London and will be structured as follows:
8-10 June
The artist will gather testimonies and feedback from the local community on personal and social experience of loneliness and its relations to the current economic and political structures regulating life in the UK today, questioning the Ministry of Loneliness’ roles and achievement and people’s understanding of it.
Saturday 11 June – 3 PM to 8 PM
A public event will display the first research outcomes in Jupiter Woods’ space.
Ministry of Loneliness: Premise by Rebecca Moccia
Public event: Saturday 11 June – 3 PM to 8 PM
Jupiter Woods
61 Rollins Street, London SE15 1EP
https://jupiterwoods.com