City Works is an exhibition by Roberto Paci Dalò. The exhibition includes various artistic materials (films, drawings, sounds, artifacts) related to projects and research that the author, during his long career, has done in reference to seven cities in the world: Berlin, Ciudad de Mexico, Linz, Naples, Rimini, Rome, Vancouver. Seven cities in which the artist lived and which become the real protagonists of the exhibition.

City Works is a tribute to interdisciplinary research, a journey between Rimini and Vancouver; between Città del México and Berlin; between Linz, Rome and Naples: a unique opportunity to enter the workshop of Giardini Pensili exploring its methods and practices.
The artistic contribution of Roberto Paci Dalò in City Works is an analysis of the visual and sound landscapes of contemporary cities. In addition, the artist wonders about the new way of living and living in the city. His perspective is to be able to see what escapes in everyday life.
The exhibition is also conceived as a sort of “backstage” (or “making of”) where there are also unpublished materials that have never been shown publicly.

"mapping of the environment"

What these projects have in common is the presence of a phase of study or “mapping of the environment” both in space and time. In this phase, in which observation comes first, the smallest detail is fundamental. Places are mapped and creative ideas are sought from the first glances at the city. Observation is accompanied by listening to the sounds peculiar to the environment to be studied. The acoustic aspect is as important as the visual one.

This exploration is paralleled by the investigation of time and the past. In this case, the research takes place in archives, libraries and in all the places that can preserve collective memories (and wounds).

It is often the study of architecture, visible and invisible, that provides the real means to reconstruct and discern how the past has stratified.

The architectural stratification, the cultural syncretism, the individuality immersed and forced in the chaos of swarming multitudes, is recorded, processed, dissolved, amplifies through the use of digital and radio communication technologies to create dense and penetrating urban installations. The sounds and images of the contemporary city are the main elements of the sensory practice and immersive choice of the artist.

The workshop

The exhibition, which aims to deepen the themes related to the exploration, mapping and design of the urban environment, is hosted in Florence by the SEVS gallery, home of many meetings dedicated to contemporary architecture.

The SESV gallery, established in 2000 by the Faculty of Architecture of the University of Florence, is curated by Marco Brizzi with Fiammetta Barsanti, Jessica Carione, Giulio Carli, Edoardo Cesaro, Giuliano Gatti, Valerio Gavilli, Annarita Lapenna, Francesca Oddo, Viola Toccafondi.

On the occasion of the vernissage of the exhibition City works by Roberto Paci Dalò, guests such as Gaia Bindi, Marco Brizzi, Lorenzo Brusci, Roberto Paci Dalò, Daniele Lombardi, Albert Mayr. meet at the SEVS gallery and take part in the discussion.

On Friday 25th May 2007, from 9.00 a.m. to 1.00 p.m., Roberto Paci Dalò leads a workshop at the SEVS gallery entitled Luogo all’ascolto. The workshop focuses on the themes of urban space in the broadest sense. Luogo all’ascolto sees the participation of a large group of architecture students and auditors from outside the university.