Motus <> Botto&Bruno

Following the format of the first issue of Echos, which presented a comparison between two artists – Romeo Castellucci and Alfredo Jaar – and between theatre and contemporary art, this third issue brings together Motus and Botto&Bruno. Both are couples in their professional and personal lives: on the one hand, Daniela Nicolò and Enrico Casagrande, founders of Motus, one of the most important and committed companies in Italian and international experimental theatre; on the other, Roberta Bruno and Gianfranco Botto, an admired artistic duo with an extraordinary career.

Many common threads can be identified in their respective careers: their studies at the Academy, their early careers, performances and exhibitions drawing on similar sources of inspiration, the Venice Biennale, and their appearances across half the world. But equally striking are their shared focus on the stories of urban peripheries, their exploration of myth, and their references to Pasolini. In terms of artistic language, one must not overlook both artists’ use of collage, photography and video. Naturally, the reader may look for certain differences between them – differences that serve to complete a fascinating identity.

Motus was founded in 1991 as a nomadic, independent company, constantly moving between countries, historical periods and artistic disciplines. Enrico Casagrande and Daniela Nicolò, driven by the need to engage with contemporary issues, conflicts and wounds, blend art and social commitment on stage.

Gianfranco Botto (1963) and Roberta Bruno (1966), known professionally as Botto & Bruno, live and work in Turin. From the very beginning of their collaboration, the artistic duo has primarily used the camera as a means of investigation, deconstructing photography through the use of collage, overprinting and drawing. Having both been born and raised in suburban neighbourhoods, they have treated marginality as a cultural theme in their search for new forms of vitality and poetry.