Directed by award-winning filmmaker Michele Meek, the feature-length documentary Impermanence delves into the human impulse to preserve art, culture, and history despite the inevitability of change.
Civitacampomarano, a medieval town in a remote region of Italy, has been transformed from an abandoned village to an international destination for street art. But how can a fragile town be rescued by art that fades?
Impermanence profiles a town and its community—one that has existed nearly a thousand years but whose future remains precarious. It highlights the irony of using ephemeral art—which fades quickly due to natural elements—as a way to save the town from disappearing itself.
The film evokes reflection about how much loss we routinely grapple with—of culture, of people, of art, of homes, even of whole villages. It epitomizes how quickly natural elements can take over—and how any preservation requires concerted community effort and resources. It speaks to how impermanence and change go hand-in-hand—in order to save their town from obsolescence, the residents must embrace the inevitability of change.
For more information about the film or to get involved, contact Michele. Tax-deductible donations can be accepted via our fiscal sponsor, Center for Independent Documentary.
Special thanks to the Supporters of this film project
Funding provided in part by a grant from the Rhode Island State Council on the Arts, through an appropriation by the Rhode Island General Assembly, a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts and private funders.
This project has also been partially funded by a Faculty/Librarian Research Grant via the Center for the Advancement of Research and Scholarship at Bridgewater State University.