Interview with Orzilli Roberto

Early memories of Castello Colonna before the beginning of Genazzano Project.

D.O. Donatella Orecchia introduces Roberto Orzilli’s testimony, noting that he was a child at the time Genazzano Project began, and invites him to recall Castello Colonna before the arrival of Carlo Quartucci and Carla Tatò.   

R.O. Roberto Orzilli describes the Castle as a space still marked by the aftermath of the Second World War: a partially ruined structure characterized by rubble and a completely damaged wing. Despite these conditions, the Castle functioned as a place of play, forming an integral part of everyday life and childhood imagination. 

The arrival of Carlo Quartucci and Carla Tatò in Genazzano and the local community’s perception.

R.O. Roberto Orzilli describes their arrival as “a bolt from the blue”, emphasizing its discontinuity with the local socio-cultural context, then characterized by an agricultural economy and everyday practices rooted in rural life. He recalls an initial distance between the artistic practices introduced by the project and the culture of the village, followed by a gradual integration of the artists into community life through their use of public spaces and direct relationships with local inhabitants.

He also recalls the presence of international artists and site-specific performances distributed between Castello Colonna and the urban spaces of Genazzano, experiences that appeared “unimaginable” from the perspective of a child. Among the episodes remembered are an intervention attributable to Lawrence Weiner (text-based wall inscriptions) and an installation by Jannis Kounellis involving caged animals, later specified by Carla Tatò as rats associated with hospital beds. 

C.T. Carla Tatò intervenes to clarify that Lawrence Weiner’s mural inscription has been preserved thanks to Massimiliano Lucci and subsequent local conservation efforts. 

R.O. The witness portrays an atmosphere of intense social vitality: the project became the subject of discussion across different generations, assuming the character of a widely shared collective event. 

Uscite and the curtain of glasses: partial memory and testimonial mediation.

R.O. Roberto Orzilli states that he retains no direct memories of these actions, explaining that his experience was limited to daytime activities, since, because of his age, he did not attend the evening performances. 

C.T. Carla Tatò supplements the testimony by recalling the collection of wine bottles from the local cooperative winery, emphasizing the community’s participation in the construction of the scenic installations. 

The Ninfeo del Bramante and the perception of otherness.

R.O. Roberto Orzilli explains that he never frequented the Ninfeo del Bramante directly, his memories remaining associated primarily with the Castle and its surrounding areas. He recalls the presence of foreign visitors, whom he initially interpreted as religious tourists, without recognizing the existence of a broader cultural network connected to the project. 

Looking back retrospectively, he describes Genazzano Project as an “ultramodern” experience that contrasted with what he perceived as a static local context, while acknowledging its lasting cultural significance for the community.

The conclusion of Genazzano Project and memories of Hermann Nitsch’s action.

R.O. Roberto Orzilli recalls that the village gradually returned to its previous condition, emphasizing the exceptional and temporary nature of the experience. 

D.O. Donatella Orecchia asks about Hermann Nitsch’s action in Piazza del Senile. 

R.O. He reports only an indirect knowledge of the event, interpreting it as an artistic gesture. 

C.T. Carla Tatò contextualizes the action, highlighting its relationship with local rural culture and emphasizing how its ritual significance was redefined through its transfer from an artistic setting to a community context.

Community involvement and childhood perception.

R.O. Roberto Orzilli denies having been personally involved but recalls the widespread presence of visual interventions, including artistic inscriptions and signage throughout the village. 

C.T. Carla Tatò reiterates the importance of the artistic signage installed across Genazzano, particularly Lawrence Weiner’s interventions. 

R.O. He emphasizes the broad involvement of the local population, highlighting an intergenerational form of participation. 

Artistic presences and episodic memory: Gigi Proietti at Vinaliae. 

R.O. Through an anecdotal account, Roberto Orzilli remembers adverse weather conditions that prevented an initial performance, which was later rescheduled. 

C.T. Carla Tatò specifies that the texts performed were written by Roberto Lerici, emphasizing the connection between popular culture and contemporary dramatic writing.

Sala Martino V and the missed spectator experience.

R.O. Roberto Orzilli recalls the transfer of the billiard table from Bar Gemelli to Castello Colonna, emphasizing the sense of displacement produced by its relocation. Looking back, he expresses regret at not having been able to experience the artistic activities more fully, while recognizing the innovative significance of Quartucci and Tatò’s intervention within the local context. 

The material and symbolic legacy of Genazzano Project.

R.O. Roberto Orzilli recalls that the municipal administration subsequently undertook structural restoration work on Castello Colonna, recognizing Genazzano Project as a driving force behind the renewed appreciation of the site’s cultural heritage. He describes the experience as a transformative intervention that revealed the latent potential of the local territory.

Memory, transmission, and engagement with the present.

R.O. Roberto Orzilli emphasizes how later generations of artists were able to benefit from the legacy of Genazzano Project, referring in particular to the presence of Sylvano Bussotti. The discussion develops into a critical reflection on the present condition of Genazzano, highlighting a perceived decline in the village’s cultural vitality. 

Artistic figures in Roberto Orzilli’s memory.

R.O. Roberto Orzilli recalls above all Carlo Quartucci, Carla Tatò, and Jannis Kounellis, together with Massimiliano Lucci. His testimony reveals a selective memory shaped by the visibility of these figures and by the proximity of his personal encounters with them.  

The personal impact of Genazzano Project. 

R.O. Roberto Orzilli interprets Genazzano Project as a sign of potential transformation which, although not fully realized over time, revealed a possible path of cultural development for the local community. 

Final thanks and closing remarks.