The ACQUA LAMBRO project by gethan&myles was developed around two conceptual dimensions: imagining the impossible — making the water of the Lambro river drinkable — and the idea of self-care — recognizing that the river already contains everything it needs to heal itself — as well as mutual and reciprocal care — the river takes care of the city, and the city takes care of the river.
Two artworks emerged from this exploration: Una macchina di gioia (“A Machine of Joy”), the purification machine, and Il mondo è un inquinante (“The World is a Pollutant”), the bottle containing drinkable Lambro water.
Those powerful concepts led to a collective project, a product of intense interaction with some local actors, labelled IMMACHINARIUM (“imma” evocating the “im”possible and the “im”agination dimensions, “macchinario” linked to the machines and/or devices).
IMMACCHINARIUM is a community-based creative process that aims to reinterpret and build upon the conceptual and poetic framework introduced by gethan&myles in the ACQUA LAMBRO project.
IMMACCHINARIUM is progressing, and it was officially presented on the 16th of June to the artistic community during an event held at the evocative Nosedo wastewater treatment plant, organised by the MAF – Museo Acqua Franca, curated by Ornella Piluso and Monica Scardecchia, in collaboration with Ornella Bonomi from the Osservatorio Lambro Lucente.
The Milan pilot team (ERSAF Lombardia & Karakorum) introduced the IMMACCHINARIUM project to local artists on the occasion of the launch of the CALL FOR ARTISTS promoted by Arte da Mangiare Mangiare Arte, which presented its artistic proposal for the works that will be featured in the International Festival of Wastewater Treatment Plants.
Selected artists will be involved in a participatory process focused on the theme of the Lambro River, which will also engage local associations and institutions. The initiative will culminate in a major creative event scheduled for this coming autumn.
Stay tuned to learn more about this initiative!
Published on: June 20, 2025
