Nico Vascellari: Alessio

Haus der Kunst presents “Alessio (2023–24)”, a performance inspired by 26-year-old Alessio from Rome, who visits the bar across from artist Nico Vascellari’s studio every day. Alessio, who is on the autism spectrum, communicates through movement and sounds. The artist, inspired by the young man’s form of communication, developed a performance telling a collective story about the universal desire to understand and be understood. The performance starts with a soundscape by Vascellari and a few performers, later joined by 11 local performers in Munich, expanding from the Mittelhalle to the Terrassensaal and the English Garden. Alessio’s soundscape continues in the Terrassensaal, inviting visitors to reflect on their own unique means of communication and to come together, during a polyphony of nonverbal languages.

Haus der Kunst supports new forms of engagement and learning, as seen in projects like Open Haus and MMMHaus, and emphasizes inclusion and diversity. Nico Vascellari’s anthropological approach explores the relationship between humans and nature.

Alessio was developed by Nico Vascellari in collaboration with the curatorial team and the team for learning and engagement at Haus der Kunst (Lydia Antoniou, Camille Latreille, Andrea Lissoni). The performance Alessio at Haus der Kunst is supported by Giorgio Armani and Armani/Silos. The project is supported by the Directorate General for Contemporary Creativity of the Italian Ministry of Culture under the Italian Council program (2023).
The project is organized in collaboration with Comune di Firenze and Museo Novecento in Florence, Italy.