Letter to Notos is the first incarnation of Into the blue project. It’s a multimedia story-telling performance that recall our journey with kite and aeolian flutes, how we became in touch with this tradition, our research, experience in learning and making the kite and flutes by ourselves. It also tells what we’ve learnt and realised from undertaking this project.
Letter to Notos was developed during the artist residency in Crexida Anima Fluo in Bologna, August 2024. The video recordings are made in the surrounding hills, the coast line near Bologna and during our research in Vienna prior to the residency.
We wanted our kite to have its own journey, to see it soar in different places as we ventured on our way to the residency in Bologna. We made the first stop in Türkensturz, a ruin where, according to legend, a group of Turkish raiders once fell from the cliffs.The day was crystal clear, the sky a brilliant blue. The air hung motionless, dry and cool, but the midday sun blazed with an unforgiving heat. As we walked through the fields to retrieve the fallen kite, we could hear the crunch of sun-dried wheat stubble under our feet.Every day, we checked the weather forecast, hoping for stronger winds during our stay in Bologna. Last Saturday, the forecast hinted at a breeze around 5 pm, so we took our two biggest kites and headed for the hills around Fienile Fluo. But just as we finished assembling them, the wind vanished, leaving us in stillness once more.Sunday brought better fortune. The sun was relentless, scorching the earth beneath it, while the wind teased us—appearing and disappearing, making the kite’s ascent a challenge. The longer we waited, the more precious the wind became.Finally, after many attempts, the kite soared, its flute singing a haunting melody in the quiet of the hills. The sky was its own, as few birds dared to fly in the midday heat, leaving the kite in solitary flight.By Monday, we sought an easier path, heading to the coast at Lido di Spina, where the winds are more faithful. After a long drive, we arrived and felt the relief of a steady east wind. The kite rose effortlessly, its flight so sure that we could tie it to a tree trunk and watch it dance in the sky.Two days before the Letter to Notos performance, we decided to test our idea of flying the kite on the hills behind the stage. The wind played with us, leaving us disappointed yet hopeful.Although we could not fly the kite as long as we had wished but we could hear the persistent hum of cicadas, the crunch of sun-dried wheat stubble beneath our feet as we walked through the fields to retrieve the fallen kite.
The stage of Letter to Notos during Scena Natura Festival 2024, Crexida Residency, Bologna.
Siedl/Cao 