Tree Cultivators of Boggiano Embrace Autonomy
Italian Artist Uncovers the Legacy of the Boggiano Family in Cuba
Italian visual artist Cristiano Berti has delved deep into the history of the Boggiano family, a story that spans generations and continents. For five years, Berti has been researching the family's past in Cuba, exploring themes of identity, migration, and heritage through his art.
Born in Savona, Antonio Boggiano was a 18th-century merchant and landowner who owned the coffee plantation, Nuestra Señora de la Misericordia, in the Polo Viejo area of Trinidad. He had two wives, nine children (two of whom died in infancy), and owned a significant number of slaves. The custom of slaves gaining their freedom allowed for the slow redemption of the Boggianos, leading to the descendants of Boggiano populating the territory and still residing there.
One of the most striking aspects of the Boggiano family's history is the transformation of their surname. Originally a mark of slavery, it is now a symbol of freedom for the descendants of Boggiano in Cuba. Slaves on Boggiano's plantation were given their master's surname as their second name, a practice that continued even after they gained their freedom by paying a sum of money, with the first being María de Jesús Boggiano in 1822.
Berti's work on the Boggiano family focuses on memory, roots, oppression, freedom, passion, and research. He has meticulously studied and reconstructed the extensive family tree of the Boggianos, which he displayed as an installation in the Guido Costa Projects gallery in Turin. The installation, titled "Eredi Boggiano," includes an expansive lattice of handmade resin tiles bearing names, surnames, dates of birth and death, and photographs of some of the Boggianos with whom he spoke.
In addition to the installation, Berti has also created a video titled Pero está por ahí, ¿no? in Polo Viejo. This video showcases the lives of some of the Boggianos with whom he spoke, providing a glimpse into their lives and the environment in which they live. The video, along with the faces of some Boggianos Berti spoke to and the environment in which they live, is also available in the gallery.
Berti's work on the Boggiano family culminated in the publication of the book Eredi Boggiano (Quodlibet 2022), summarizing five years of work on the Boggiano family. The book provides a comprehensive account of Berti's research, offering insights into the complexities of diaspora, cultural memory, and the lasting effects of migration on families and communities.
The installation of the Boggiano family tree is displayed on two walls in the Guido Costa Projects gallery in Turin. It serves as a testament to the rich history of the Boggiano family and the impact they have had on the lives of their descendants. The custom of slaves gaining their freedom allowed for the slow redemption of the Boggianos, leading to the descendants of Boggiano populating the territory and still residing there. The Boggiano family tree has developed over time and spans multiple generations, making it a powerful symbol of resilience and survival.
In conclusion, Cristiano Berti's work on the Boggiano family offers a unique perspective on the intertwining of historical movements and personal histories. By delving deep into the story of the Boggiano family, Berti has created artworks that reflect on cultural memory, the complexities of diaspora, and the lasting effects of migration on families and communities. The Boggiano family's story is a testament to the power of resilience and the importance of understanding one's past in order to shape one's future.
- Cristiano Berti's exploration of the Boggiano family's history illuminates the connection between the environmental and lifestyle changes that occur within family-dynamics, as their home-and-garden settings evolved from a coffee plantation in Cuba to diasporic communities in Italy.
- Within the Boggiano family's history, the transformation of their surname symbolizes a shift in relationships, from a marker of oppression to a emblem of freedom, reflecting the changes in home-and-garden, family-dynamics, and cultural heritage.
