I am the impiraressa, the Beadstringer, mother, daughter, wife of an "arsenaloto", an Arsenal of Venice worker.
With this sentence begins the urban game "Arsenalia" and it is from this statement that the treasure hunt of the Arsenale unfolds, a bead hunt in a place still surounded by walls as it was eight centuries ago.
Arsenalia is a board game and is in the process to becoming a digital game as well. One of the key characters of the game is the impiraressa: the glass bead threader, aconstant presence in the Castelo district and beyond. What better guide could be thought of for the discovery and rediscovery of a place still so mysterious?
After more than a year of drafting, corections and site inspections, last 1st June, the Urban game by theVenetian association Venti di Cultura took place during the Salone Nautico, the Venice Boat Show. With the excellent coordination of its founder Francesco Calzolaio, who wanted to organize It in colaboration with the Comitato per la Salvaguardia dell'Arte delle Perle di Vetro Veneziane.
The playful-culturalevent, writen and conducted by Marisa Convento, is an ideal journey through time through the different ereas that have led the Arsenale to the present day.
The game is a work in progress that take part in the framework of the European project I_improve which promotes partnership between associations dedicated to giving new impetus to the cultural heritage of urban waterfronts.
In simple words, as an impiraressa would say, it was fun discovery and it honors so many Venetian lives. It also atracts attention on the passions and local identity values of a place that is now physically divided but still united in the collective imagination. All of these elments are shared with the players who experienced the Urban game enriching it by new points of view in a ongoing Evolution.
We thanks for the collaboration, participation and interests: Municipality of Venice-Vela, Italian Navy, The Venice Biennale Foundation; Comitato per la Salvaguardia dell'Arte delle Perle di Vetro Veneziane.