Lexicogram of Dwelling
Paola Boscaini, Cristina Materassi
What does it mean to dwell in a space? This question lies at the heart of the “Lexicogram of Dwelling”, developed within the framework of the Corrispondenze project. Between 2020 and 2024, we collected reflections and conversations from diverse participants. From these rich phrases, words were carefully extracted, forming a lexicogram that does not offer a single definition, but rather a network of terms that intersect, resonate, and collide—an evolving attempt to articulate the elusive concept of dwelling. In this lexicogram, each word acquires meaning in relation to others, shaped by context, use, and shared reflection. Meanings are partial, situated, and relational, reflecting the multiplicity of ways in which spaces can be inhabited and experienced. For the “Forum Artistic Research: suspended in language?”, we propose a performative lecture to activate the lexicogram. The presentation will guide the audience through emerging structures and associations, navigating the layers and categories that connect the collected words, and revealing how meanings shift and unfold through relational networks. Definitions and categories themselves are held in suspension, remaining open to interpretation, dialogue, and creative engagement. In this way, the lexicogram and its associative patterns can be experienced as both a form and a practice—inviting participants to explore language, categorization, and dwelling as interwoven, dynamic, and performative processes. Presenting this work internationally also foregrounds the inherent partiality of translation. What happens to words when we speak them across languages? How do their meanings shift, fracture, or expand in dialogue with other linguistic and cultural frameworks? Beyond research, the lexicogram offers a dialogical artistic space: a structure where linguistic, visual, and performative modes intersect, inviting participants to engage, interpret, and creatively inhabit the words themselves, turning reflection into a shared, performative practice that suspends certainty and fosters exploration.