During the second edition of the Festival dell'Italia Gentile, Gold presented Peaceful Places, a virtual reality experience and the flashmob I disarm in your arms; both projects curated by Margherita Landi and Agnese Lanza in collaboration with Senzatomica.
The action served to launch an appeal to Italy, asking it to participate as an observer at the First Meeting of States Parties to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW).
32 couples took an active part in the event in Piazza della Signoria, dedicating 30 minutes 'to being inside an hug, to break down the resistance that alienates us from others'. In doing so, they launched a message of peace and at the same time created a performance that attracted the attention of passers-by, who were visibly moved.
At the same time, a few steps above, other people equipped with VR headsets were engaged in being guided by the gentle instructions of Peaceful Places, an immersive experience that led them to imitate the hugs of the couples they saw around them in 360°.
Hugging was the main feature. This gesture, forbidden in the period of social distancing, took on a revolutionary meaning: to stir consciences and raise awareness of the current situation, to address a call for disarmament but also to promote listening between individuals and physical and emotional closeness.
A Gold T-shirt was also created for the event in collaboration with illustrator Jonathan Calugi.
