CASCINA SANT’AMBROGIOTOcCARE15 CENTURIES IN CASCINAArt, History and Culture

SUMMER SCHOOL 2015

Agreement Protocol

with Milan City Council

WEEKLY COURSESJune 1 - 27July 6 - 18

August 24 - Sept 59.00-12.00 / 13.00-17.00

Cascina Sant’Ambrogio

The project: TOcCARE

Cascina Sant’Ambrogio at Cavriana is an architectural complex situated within Forlanini Park (City Zone 4) that belongs to Milan City Council. In the course of the centuries the structure has been used for different purposes related to monastic life, agriculture and residential use and these layers of the past represent today the particular historical and artistic interest of the Cascina. From an architectural point of view, the building appears at first sight as a cascina, but the preliminary studies undertaken during “Milano Summer School” , organized in September 2013 by Art. 9 and CasciNet, have highlighted traces that bear witness of a different past. In the body of the main building an apse with frescoes with three lancet windows and the discovery of a portal of a façade hidden under layers of plaster hint at the existence of an ancient Romanesque church, which was part of the Convent of the Nuns of Saint Redegonda. Furthermore the presence of a late antique archeological memorial stone dating back to the fourth century A. D. has been discovered under the external porch.CasciNet and Art. 9, in agreement with Milan City Council, promote the safeguard of the integrity of the frescoed apse through a project aimed at interrupting the process of decay which would otherwise inevitably result in the irreversible loss of the ancient frescoes. Fund raising activities have already been started to finance the restoration works aimed at recapturing the fascinating beauty of the spaces and at opening them to citizens.

The project has three main aims:

1. Looking after - TO CARE - cascina Sant’Ambrogio, in the respect of the places and of their recently rediscovered historical use destinations and stratifications. The restoration of the apse area and of the frescoes is the premise for the revival of a remarkable and poetic space: a room, an empty space, a precious vase, which has collected the prayers of men in the course of eight centuries and later housed the farmers’ supplies. The place with its suggestive atmosphere can become once again a space of reflection, silence and interior research.

2. Opening to the public, to the local people of the area and to the city an historical and art heritage that belongs to them. The rebirth of this place can only be realized with a serious study analysis capable of granting an attentive and scientifically based conservation. Guided visits and information panels will make the material renovation procedures of the historical environments open and manifest to the interested visitors from the setting up of building site till the conclusion of the works.

3. Giving new life to a unique place in the Milanese panorama, an agricultural outpost and at the same time an excellence of art, by inserting the cascina building complex in a tourist and educational route connecting different cascinas, abbeys and parks that surround the city.

Archeologia rurale

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HistoryCascina Sant’Ambrogio at Cavriana, within Forlanini Park, was built at the fork of a track leading to Monluè Abbey, at the crossing of two paths, both running alongside the city, that came from the Madonna of Loreto Church and from Cascina Acquabella.The first documents ascribe the settlement to the nuns of the Convent of Santa Redegonda, who had escaped here after the destructions caused by Barbarossa’s army in 1162.The hemicycle of the apse of the church 1, traces of the Romanesque portal and of the main façade 2 and finally a stone with inscriptions dating back to the early Christian period 3 have so far been identified as remains of the ancient foundation. In the apse of the Romanesque church it is still possible to see traces of beautiful mural paintings representing an original “Coronation of the Virgin among Angels and Saints”. The frescoes show a high artistic quality, but their conservation state is very poor. They can be dated back to the second half of the XIV century. More recently, during the XVIII century, the monastic building was transformed into a “cascina” for farming with the annexed peasants’ lodgings.At present CasciNet is trying to organize promotional activities and cultural events meant to highlight the artistic value of Cascina Sant’Ambrogio, to rediscover its ancient vocations and to promote a new integration with the territory.

Aims• Organizationofeducationalevents.Oneofthesewillbethe3rdEditionofMilano Summer School

2015 and the promotion of internship training courses;

• Scientific study of the materials in the cascina/ former Convent buildings;

• Conservationofthehistoricalheritageofthecascinaandinparticular immediate intervention on artistic emergencies in the areas at risk of loss;

• Citizens’involvementintheprocessoftherestoration:theworksforthematerialrecoveryofthehistorical sites are intended to be open to the public, an “open building site”, explained through guided visits and information panels;

• Rural Archeology: the cascina will become “a case study” joining agricultural employ and cultural enhancement;

• Presentationoftheresultsofallresearchcarriedoutinspecificevents(conference/meetings,etc.)

We introduce ourselvesArt9 Art. 9 is a Milanese association of men and women active in different professions. It was founded in order to create synergies for the promotion, care and conservation of our cultural heritage.The action of Art9 is based on direct knowledge of cases and on thorough historical investigation. Among the several and varied events organized we can mention workshops, guided visits, special openings, concerts, etc. These initiatives aim at spreading awareness of the value of the sites while promoting active participation in the conservation of our art heritage.

Cascinet

Cascinet is a no profit association founded in 2012 by a group of people sharing a common aim: to make Cascina Sant’Ambrogio once again a place of farming and economic activities within the city, an accessible place, open to citizens, where spaces may find a renewed function with social, educational, cultural and residential activities.The association Cascinet has obtained a three year concession from Milan City Council for the running of the Cascina (Council decision of July 4th 2014).Cascinet promotes maintenance activities, organizes initiatives in the field of cultural and social promotion, works to recover ancient vocations of the Cascina in a renewed relationship with the surrounding territory.Farming and cultural activities, conservative restoration, functional adjustments according to legal standards of internal spaces are the main goals of the action of Cascinet.

Cascinet intends to carry out the above mentioned activities according to a model analysis based on economic/social sustainable development, focused on the cooperation between public and private institutions, individual citizens and businesses and associations operating in the first and third sectors.

Milano Summer School 2015• AREA:Visual Arts and restoration courses

• OBJECTIVES:Learningrecoveryandrestorationtechniquesaccordingtotheprincipleofminimum intervention; exploring purposes, opportunities, methods typical of this approach based on observation, refusal of standard ready - made “recipes” and routine techniques.

• LANGUAGES:Italian, English

• CONTENTS:Technical and theoretical workshop. The case study of Cascina Sant’Ambrogio, within Forlanini Park, offers the opportunity for this workshop thanks to the historical and artistic interest related to the antiquities and the recently discovered frescoes of the Cascina

• PARTICIPANT’SPROFILE:Workshopsareopentothosewhoareinterestedintheworldofartand conservation for study or work reasons, or simply for personal passion

• EVALUATIONANDFINALCERTIFICATE:Certificateofparticipation.HighschoolsandUniversityInstitutescansignaconventionfortrainingandinternshipcoursesaccordingtoDGRX/825 of October 25th 2013

• REGISTRATIONPROCEDURES:Participantscandownloadandfillinaformforpre-registrationavailable on the site www.associazioneart9.it and enclose their curriculum vitae. The choice depends on the order of registration. Maximum 25 participants.

• CALENDARANDATTENDANCE:Courses last one week and are open during summer months from June 1st to June 27th, from July 6th to July 18th and from August 24th to September 5th. Times : from 9 to 12 a.m. and from 13 to 17 p.m.

• COST:Free.€50contributionforgeneralexpenses.Insurancefeesandmembershipcard:€30

• TEACHERS:professionalsinthefieldofconservationandrelatedareas(architecture,photography, graphic arts, etc.)

• BOARDINGFACILITIES:freeorathostelsinMilanwhichgrantspecialconditions.

• CONTACTS:segreteriaart9@gmail.com

Sponsored by

In the calendar ofAgreement Protocol with Milan City Council. Summer School 2015

In collaboration with

How to registrateWriteane-mailtosegreteriaart9@gmail.com including the following data:

NAME,SURNAME,interestinparticipationtothecourseandchosendates.

We are waiting for you!

WhereVia Cavriana 38, Milano.Public transport :• Streetcars : 27 | bus stop via Repetti• Buses: 73 |busstopv.leForlanini-Artigianato,54 | bus stop v. Amedeo• Railway line “Passante ferroviario” FORLANINI FS|v.leForlanini-Trepontistation

Art9 www.associazioneart9.it

Cascinet www.cascinet.it - www.facebook.com/Cascinet - issuu.com/cascinet