Naima Morelli

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writing1
It’s a long time I don’t press pause from the journalistic mode for a moment, to share some parts of my life as an arts and culture writer. I decided to do it today, to spell out the cardinal points that drive my writing today. Spelling them out for myself in the first place, of course, so I can embrace them with more awareness.

I must start by saying that, as writers, we might take our work lightly, but holding a pen is like holding a sword (or a bo staff to pick my weapon of choice.) That’s why I have decided to always make my best to be impeccable with my words, using this power for good. Some of these ethics I took to balance out my original spirit, which is quite combative, in a way which gives me strength and passion, but can easily get out of hand.

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Ruangsak

CoBo has just published one of my favourite interview from my reportage in Thailand, the one to Bangkok-based artist Ruangsak Anuwatwimon.

Ruangsak feels compelled to fight for environmental awareness. His poetic installations take on this cause, revealing the brutality of humans towards the Earth, buried under a beautiful surface.

Here is the link to the interview

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Pattana

Another article from my reportage in Thailand. This is an interview with artist and photographer Pattana Chuenmana, and has been just published by CoBo.

Here is the link to the interview

 

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IlRediBangkok

A new article of mine in Italian has just been published on the webmagazine Art a Part of Cult(ure). It’s an interview with the three authors of the great graphic novel “Il Re di Bangkok”, Claudio Sopranzetti, Sara Fabbri, Chiara Natalucci, published by ADD Editore.

It was serendipitous to read this work right after my reportage in Thailand, at a time when I’m delving deeper into the graphic novel world.

Here is the link to the interview

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HamidSulaiman

For my first article for the webmagazine Middle East Eye I have realized an interview to Syrian artist and graphic novelist Hamid Sulaiman. It was a great chat about his work “Freedom Hospital” and his future projects going forward.

Here is the link to the interview

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PalestinianMuseum
I might be repeating myself, but even a short piece of writing – meant to announce the publication of a new piece – is an opportunity to speak about the true wonder of this job. The knowledge, hope and excitement that it brings. Every conversation is a gift, every piece published a way to let all this interestingness out, to feel part of those bringing light and understanding to our human society.

Anyway, this interview with Palestinian Museum director Dr Adila Laïdi Hanieh, adds up to my research on art and culture in Palestine, I have been started researching since I wrote my first few articles for the excellent web magazine Middle East Monitor. The conversation with such an elegant personality, whose direction is bringing harmony and rationalisation to the Palestinian Museum, was truly inspiring.

Here is the link to the interview

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Piyarat

A desire to find answers brought Thai artist Piyarat Piyapongwiwat from the luxurious Bangkok advertising offices to the factories of Myanmar. Today, she tackles socio-political themes through both her installations and video.

My interview with this wonderful artist, endowed with a quiet strenght, has been just published on CoBo.

Here is the link to the interview

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SEAPavVenice2019

Hong-Kong based website and platform for collectors CoBo Social has just published my review of the Southeast Asian Pavilions at the 2019 Venice Biennale. I looked at the different national propositions with interest and a bit of a critical eye as well.

Here is the link to the review

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Thanom

Culture360, the webmagazine of the Asia-Europe Foundation, has just published my interview with one of the most forward-thinking and controversial art critic, arts writer and artist in the Thai art scene, Thanom Chapakdee.

This article is part of the reportage Roberto D’Onorio and I conducted in Thailand at the beginning of 2019. We interviewed cultural practitioners in the Thai art scene and learned about the different practices and power structures of the Thai art system. Here is to you an authoritative voice telling his side of the story.

Here is the link to the interview

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Torlarp
More from my reportage on Thai contemporary. This piece, just published by CoBo, is an interview to Chiang Mai artist Torlarp Larpjaroensook, owner of Seescape Gallery. I have really great admiration for this self-made-man, and of course self-made-artist, who is all about the community.

And as a side note, I started doing this job, arts writing, more than 10 years ago now. And yet, every time an article of mine is published, I’m still so thrilled and grateful. The interviews, the chance to ask questions, the artworks, the artists, the magazines I write for and my incredible editors, the people I met, the people I traveled with, the chance to explore the world, to learn about it through its artists, the impressions, the learning, the struggles and still being here to tell tale.

I feel incredible blessed to live this life, doing this job. Hopefully some glimmer of the bliss, both mine and the one of Torlarp’s, will transpire through the lines.

Here is the link of the interview

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Donna Ong

Part of the charm of the forest is that it is supposed to be dangerous and mysterious. In this way you can still appreciate it but in a safe way. It’s an interesting metaphor about what is happening in Singapore. In the first chapter we have already talked about the work of Donna Ong in respect to the idea of tropical nature. We looked at “The Forest Speaks Back” which explored the idea of the tropics, by conveying two different points of view: that of the colonisers, and those of natives. Donna is interested in how the narrative for nature in Singapore has changed and evolved: “I think previously there was a lot of emphasis on the Garden City, so we had tropical nature but made it into a garden. A tamed tropical garden rather than a forest.”

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talk1

Last Friday Roberto D’Onorio and I gave a talk at UNINT Speech – a new platform for talks of the Università degli Studi Internazionali di Roma.

It was an honour to speak at this University, which is preparing the interpreters and translators of the new generation. We tried to give our fair share of contribution in proving students with our own knowledge of today’s complex and interconnected world through contemporary art.

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