A Journal of Resistance During COVID-19 | Earth Day

Today marks the 50th anniversary of Earth Day. The celebration started on April 22 1970 in the US: 20 millions Americans became involved and started the path which led to important reforms. such as the Clean Air Act (1970), followed by the Clean Water Act in 1972. Twenty years later Earth Day became international. mobilizing 200 million people from around the globe.

A Journal of Resistance During COVID-19 | Another Week...

Another week passed. I am still healthy and serene despite the various harassments, but the past week has been extremely challenging.  In extreme circumstances like those we are currently living with the paradigm shift brought by the COVID-19 pandemic, people should be more focused on positive human values instead of greed and hatred. Such loss of human life, happening so fast and unexpectedly, should teach how vulnerable we are and that we should live compassionately, valuing constructive endeavors in respect of ourselves, the others and the environment.
       Instead I am still dealing with the greed from my ex-husband. He dragged me for several years in a brutal corrupt divorce litigation, ruled by a former judge and where I did not have proper legal representation, My divorce story is not unique; I am joined by over a thousand other people who had to suffer tremendous injustice, as you can read in this petition.  Even during COVID-19 is still taking advantage of me, not only financially but also destroying my artwork at Sun Farm. 

Sun Farm

    Another challenge in the past month of "stay home" has been the daily exposure to the inconsiderate and rude behavior of the neighbors from the apartment upstairs. Completely disrespectful of the extenuating circumstances they violate my right to quiet in my home, with annoying noises. Luckily I can still resort to my movement practice in my inner sanctum, the icosahedron.

The Icosahedron, my Inner Sanctum

A Journal of Resistance During COVID-19 | Easter Monday (of the Angel)

Today is Easter Monday, also known in Catholic tradition as Monday of the Angel. I wake-up with a WhatsApp message from Italy, citing a prayer:

Che Dio ci dia la forza di non arrenderci mai e la serenità di cui tutti abbiamo bisogno.

There could not have been a better motivational quote to start my day in these trouble times.

A Journal of Resilience During COVID-19 | My Easter Celebration

11.04.2020 | A Journal of Resilience in COVID19: Spring Is Still Here

Spring day in Riverside Park, Saturday April 11

The pandemic continues; as of today the US has the highest number of confirmed cases (over 532940 at time of writing, Saturday night April 11) with deaths surpassing 20,000. The NY Times today published an article titled "He Could Have Seen What Was Coming: Behind Trump’s Failure on the Virus."

Ironically, Easter will be tomorrow: it is my favorite holiday, the celebration of spring and rebirth of nature. In New York nature still celebrates spring. Today I have been walking over 4 miles throughout Riverside Park and Central Park. alway keeping social distancing while practicing social awareness.

I am still dealing with unsettling personal issues, as PTSD related to a brutal divorce, recovering from domestic abuse. Yet I am grateful for being healthy, so far, while still enjoying life.

The US Navy Hospital ship Comfort docked by Pier 90, ready to receive COVID19 patients

An almost deserted Times Square, Tuesday April 7

Spring day in Riverside Park, Saturday April 11

Tents from a field hospital in Central Park, Fifth Avenue,  and 96 Street, across from Mt. Sinai.

Few hundreds feet east of the field hospital, a majestic sunset from the Central Park Reservoir

04.04.2020 | A Journal of Resilience: Spatial Awareness

These days the perception of time is distorted; weeks pass by without almost noticing, any day seems to blur into the next. It has been almost four weeks since the ordinance of closure of bars, restaurant and other non-essential businesses, on March 15.
I am working on personal spatial constructs either in my living space or on places generated by my own moving body.

I walk through city whenever I can; social distancing does not bother me, actually makes me feel comfortable as spatial awareness. Unfortunately there are still a lot of arrogant people, disregarding any measure and invading others' moving space. What's new?

I practice "Finding the Axis Mundi" in my home/studio daily. Every day I explore something different in the geometry of the icosahedron.

West End Avenue: no cars at 1pm

Spring is here: Riverside Park

New Yorkers are supposed to wear mask while outdoor: wooden bears in Columbus Avenue

It's 7pm and in NYC we clap to celebrate the essential workers
keeping the city functioning in this dire times.
A view from my window.

My daily movement practice in the icosahedron as spatial awareness

22.03.2020 | A Journal of Resilience: a Walk in Riverside Park

Sun setting framed by the 69th Street Transfer 

Today was a cool sunny day. I am taking any opportunity to be outdoor for a power walk, until is still feasible. Upper West Side streets are almost empty, the majority of stores and restaurant are closed; it feels eerie, considering the usual density of the city. During my walks I am mindful of the six-foot radius of "social distancing" which I prefer to call "spatial awareness. When I encounter other people I extend my arms, spanning about 65" and twist from the waist, with my back facing the other passerby, making sure that there is at least one-foot gap from the tip of my finger tip. If anybody else would do it the six-foot radius would be respected.

Differently from street parks are crowded and people seem to ignore "social distancing". New York City has been declared the US epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic, with over 15000 confirmed cases, an exponential growth in the past week. Governor Cuomo gave a powerful briefing this morning, which confirmed my observations. He stated "This is not life as usual...And this kind of density, we talk about social distancing, I was in these parks. You would not know that anything was going on. It's a mistake. It's insensitive, it's arrogant. It's self-destructive. It's disrespectful to other people."

Sadly once again even in this unprecedented crisis people in the city are disrespectful of others. But I still enjoy the five mile walk and the view of the sun setting by the Hudson River. I return home and I practice my usual mindful movement practice in the icosahedron.

I am grateful for still being healthy and resilient. The brutal divorce perhaps taught to appreciate solitude.

19.03.2020 | A Journal of Resilience: a Different Vernal Equinox Celebration

The March equinox will occur tonight at 11:49 pm EDT (21 March at 3:49 am UTC). It is the earliest spring arrival in 124 years. But this year the arrival of spring is almost unnoticed when the annual worldwide celebration are canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The news are alarming: the death toll in my country, Italy, have surpassed China reaching the number of 3405. 

I usually I celebrate the solar annual events—solstices and equinoxes—in a small gathering of people with participatory performative actions at sunset. This year of course it will not happen: "social distancing" is a recurrent term in the current vocabulary, addressing precautions that everybody should follow: staying at least six feet away from other people lessens chances of being infected by the COVID-19 virus."

Spatial awareness is inspired by Rudolph Laban’s concept of kinesphere, which wa clearly defined in Choreutics as the spherical space surrounding the human body and reachable by extension of arms and legs (Laban 1966, 10), without stepping away from that place which is the point of support when standing on one foot, which we shall call the "stance." He defines the kinesphere also as a personal space that changes as we step away from it—and define a new stance. The sphere surrounding our moving body is always with us “like an aura” (Laban 1966, 10).