Republic of Love

by and with Laurie Anderson

translation Marta Salaroli

co-produced in Italy by Cranpi, Carnezzeria and Canal Street Communications

Laurie Anderson is an American musician, performer, and writer, an icon of New York’s avant-garde scene. And now she is bringing her “Republic of Love” to Solomeo: performance-speech on art and the world in times of crisis. This is a lucid, personal journey through what the artist considers the shadows of our time, i.e., the re-emerging authoritarianism, ruling technocracy, climate crises, and the constraining socioeconomic structures. A rare yet necessary event, the Republic of Love offers a glimpse into current affairs through the unexpected lens of love.

What traits do love and power share? Where do they meet, where do they betray each other? In a world where more and more governments build walls and restrict freedoms of movement and expression, how can we, as artists and citizens, envision a future that embraces equality and holds on to hope?

And what role does creativity play in this context? Quoting Mark Fisher, who once said that “It's easier to imagine the end of the world than the end of capitalism”, Anderson alternates stories, visions, and thoughts, connecting the many forms of love and the many forms of governments. The artist invites the audience to dream a future based not on speed, efficiency, and accumulation, but on new ways of being and coexisting.