Ka art 0-16

Literary walks in the Pollino National Park

Each place holds stories to tell, memories to be reconstructed and interpreted, secrets and connections to be revealed. Those who, step by step, move along roads and paths are absolutely aware of this. Moving gently, slowly, it is possible to pay attention to details, sounds, smells, colours and that intertwining of stories to which the gaze and the personal history of the explorers are not strangers. The sensitivity of those who write and tell stories adds to this type of experience a particular point of view, a personal interpretation, and a way of approaching and pausing in front of places and the people who live there, capable of grasping their charm. Elements that can enrich the readers’ gaze and facilitate the discovery and the contact with the surrounding world. The idea of walking through the woods, valleys, villages, and rivers together with the writers derives from this.

The ArtePollino cultural association, already in 2019, as part of the Ka art, drawing the collective map of Basilicata”, co-produced with the Matera Basilicata 2019 Foundation, had proposed the Literary Walks, the result of collaboration with the Circolo dei Lettori (i.e., Readers’ Association) of Turin.

Today, the association, together with 365 Storie, libreria per bambini e ragazzi (i.e., 365 Stories, bookshop for kids and teens), and with the patronage of the Pollino National Park Authority and the APT, the Territorial Promotion Agency of Basilicata, wants to propose this type of experience again, with special attention to families. This time, authors selected by the booksellers Anna Felicia and Iolanda Nardandrea in the panorama of literature for children and teens will guide the walks planned as part of Ka art 0-16.

Starting from the first weekend of June, the ArtePollino association will host an author for a whole weekend: after visiting the places, on Saturday afternoon the author will meet the children, young people and their families and, together with them, on Sunday morning they will walk along one of the many paths of the largest terrestrial national park in Italy, or along the streets of one of its villages. The meeting on Saturday will aim to create a first contact with the author who will guide the journey the next day, but also to give everyone the opportunity to have a look and buy the books selected and proposed by 365 Storie booksellers, inside of the exhibition Piccoli mondi e meraviglie della Natura nei libri per bambini e ragazzi (i.e., small worlds and wonders of Nature in books for children and teens), aimed at young readers, but not only for them.

The author who will guide the first walk, Sunday 6 June 2021, along the Peschiera stream, in San Severino Lucano, is Chiara Lorenzoni who will meet the inhabitants of Pollino on Saturday 5 June 2021, at 18.30, at the MULA + Museum and Library in Latronico and on Sunday morning she will accompany them along the banks of the stream starting at 10.00. The members of ArtePollino, official guides of the park, will support the author along the way.

Chiara Lorenzoni was born in Padua “between the scent of lime trees and the green sparks of fireflies”, but today she lives in Lecce “between the flights of swallows and the waves of the blue sea”. She publishes books for several publishing houses: Einaudi, Feltrinelli, Lapis, Camelozampa and many more. Her latest book, La distanza dei pesci (i.e., The distance of the fish), was published by Uovonero. She holds workshops for children and for students. Her books have been translated in different countries: Brazil, Russia, China, Korea and Greece.

The author who will guide the second walk, on Sunday 11 July 2021, starting at 10.00, along the Fosso Paraturo path in Rotonda, is Gianluca Caporaso who will meet his audience on Saturday 10 July 2021, at 17.30, at the MULA + Museum and Library by Latronico.

Gianluca Caporaso writes and tells stories: his own stories, having different origins, passed down by word of mouth. He defines himself as a reader and a narrator, a person who tries to light fires of words to gather people, find reasons to walk together, weave community plots, feed everyone’s fantastic powers in order to best modulate their relationship with the world. He holds fantastic writing workshops for children, educators, parents and organizes events to promote reading and storytelling around Italy. He has already published with the Lavieri publishing house and, recently, with Salani.

On Sunday 12 September 2021, Paola Vitale will guide the walk along the Stefano Gioia path, in the Municipality of Laino Borgo CS, starting at 10.00, after having met the public at the MULA + Museum and Library of Latronico on Saturday 11 September.

Paola Vitale graduated in biology from the University of Padua; she has also written several articles in international scientific journals and has a PhD in developmental biology. She teaches in lower secondary school. She deals with teacher training, in particular regarding environmental sustainability. She is one of the creators of the INDIRE project “Chi sarà? – Scienza in trasformAZIONE” (i.e., Who will be? – Science in transformACTION), for its multidisciplinary approach including theatre, music and illustrated books, among the examples of educational/training models for innovation in science education. The project revolves around “Chi sarà?”, the illustrated book by Rossana Bossù she wrote and which, since its edition for Camelozampa in 2018, has been translated in various countries and won the “Dapeng Children’s Natural Book Award”. In the scientific popularization series “Le sinapsi” (Synapses) by Camelozampa, “Il giardino delle meduse” (The garden of the jellyfish) was published this year, again with illustrations by Rossana Bossù.

Since its creation in 2008, the cultural association ArtePollino has dedicated itself to exploring the relationship between art and nature, in particular to the richness of the landscapes of the Pollino National Park, where it carries out its activities, thanks to the artistic languages of the contemporary world.

365 Storie is an independent and specialized bookshop for children and teenagers, opened in Matera from December 17, 2016 in the San Biagio district, in the Sasso Barisano. It is a bookshop for small and young readers, aged from 0 to 16, and for everyone.

Ka art 0-16 was born from the harmony and collaboration between these two realities.

To participate, it is necessary to book by calling at 340.6786865 or by writing to the e-mail address artepollino@gmail.com. Updates and further info will be published on the social pages of the ArtePollino cultural association and the 365 Storie bookshop.