Fernweh – Atto II

In a social context that, in some ways, recalls the Dublin portrayed by James Joyce in 1914 in Dubliners, the characters of the fifteen stories remain relevant today. Each tale presents two recurring themes: collective paralysis, driven by the politics and religion of the me, and the idea of escape, as a result of newfound awareness. In Eveline, for instance, an epiphany triggered by the sound of a street organ leads the protagonist to decide to flee Dublin and start anew in Buenos Aires. However, as she makes her decision, fear and regret hold her back in Ireland, leaving the hope of desired happiness to fade away with Frank aboard a ship bound for South America. Friedrich Andreoni and Roberto Casti have been invited to reflect on these themes in relation to their own contexts, Berlin and Milan respectively. Comparing Joyce’s narratives to contemporary situations reveals mirrored elements: the sense of emptiness, collective paralysis, and the longing for escape. After its first presentation at the independent space KA32 in Berlin in November 2023, Fernweh finds its second act at Casa degli Artisti in Milan. Through sound installations, sculptures, and performances, the artists investigate the need to reach a place—material or immaterial—that allows an escape from the frenzy and void of urban life. This refuge may not necessarily be physical but could be a suggestion, a person, an idea, a book, or a sound that enables Stendhal’s “privileged” individual to close their eyes and be transported anywhere they desire. The title Fernweh, derived from the German fern (“far”) and weh (“pain”), conveys an untranslatable sense of emptiness from being trapped in daily life and, by extension, a “longing for a distant place,” whether real or imagined.