19th Day of the ContemporarySHELTERED. World War II: the people of Abruzzo for Indian soldiersA talk with Annu Palakunnathu Matthew to remember and plan

On the occasion of the 19th Day of the Contemporary promoted by AMACI, MAXXI L’Aquila is hosting a talk, conducted in workshop form, with the artist Annu Palakunnathu Matthew.
Focused on her project The Unremembered: The Italian Campaign, the talk weaves together the stories of the descendants of Abruzzo families who helped soldiers from the Indian subcontinent, enlisted in the British Army, survive during the last years of the conflict in prison camps in Abruzzo (Avezzano). The sacrifice and tenacity of the Indian soldiers is an extraordinary story, largely forgotten and never told in history books.

speakers

Annu Palakunnathu Matthew, artist
Maria Teresa Capacchione, independent curator
Alessio De Stefano, writer
the Abruzzo families of Mena Fatato and Massimiliano Scaglione

the meeting is curated by Donatella Saroli

Annu Palakunnathu Matthew is a visual artist of Indian descent who teaches at the University of Rhode Island in the U.S. Her works start primarily from archival images, often in familiar contexts, and interrogate the concept of memory and historical narratives, using various techniques of visual language including photography, video, sculpture and sound.

open call

Artist Annu Palakunnathu Matthew’s work of collecting materials is growing. If you know of stories that testify to the encounter between Indian soldiers and the Abruzzi population or have materials that might be of interest to the artist’s research (archival photos, documents, newspaper clippings), please email maxxilaquila@fondazionemaxxi.it, indicating in the subject line “Indian Soldiers in Abruzzo.” Every contribution can be valuable, you have until October 6!