The Gathering (2026). In contemporary society, we are witnessing a breakdown of social rituals. As symbolic practices, rituals bring people together and create bonds and communities. They provide a sense of continuity, belonging, and meaning. As South Korean philosopher Byung-Chul Han notes, the lack of rituals in contemporary society can lead to a sort of “society of fatigue” in which individuals feel constantly under pressure and plagued by anxiety, unable to reconnect with themselves or others in a meaningful way. In a culture focused on performance and achievement, everyone presents a self-image, dedicating themselves to their own celebration. The construction of individual identity, however, should not be limited to the self, but should develop within a context of collective meaning that resonates beyond the individual.

The Gathering is a collective ritual that takes the form of a circular dance performed by the community around a rural dry-stone structure in the lower Salento region. The ritual dance is intended as a tribute to ancestry and to the essential nature represented by rural structures. An experience of connection—both human and tied to the land and its memory—in a society increasingly driven by alienation, consumerism, and virtual relationships.