Putting on a Play

Post date: Oct 14, 2015 3:18:11 AM

One of the main focuses of our group is on public space in Venice, which seems like a pretty concrete idea. It's just the area available to the public, which in Venice is everything past your doorstep. But there's another way to think of it; as a stage for a play. The backdrop consists of crowded bars and souvenir shops packed into what were once palaces on the lagoon; the actors are the tourists, merrily enjoying themselves as local Venetians attempt to fight through the crowds to get home. But the scene is constantly changing as the tourists shuffle off to the next stop, the stores close and new ones open. This method of thinking reminds us that these areas are fluid beings; these outdoor areas cannot be thought about without considering the cast that will play on them. The only problem with this play is the role of the local Venetians. They have been subjugated to the point of feeling like "...a minority culture or folklore group, living in a sort of Disneyland". They have become such a minor part of their own city that the "plays" are becoming reliant on the tourists; this is no longer the Venetians stage. Even further, Venetians are being removed from the background, as they have less and less to do with economic relations with tourists.

The above chart shows that 62% of Venetians have no interactions with tourists beyond seeing them, which indicates that outside forces are stepping into this play and pushing the Venetians out.

http://arrow.dit.ie/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1004&context=tfschhmtart