Fabio Gigone awarded a Carlsberg Foundation Internationalisation Fellowship
Our colleague Fabio Gigone received a Carlsberg Foundation Internationalisation Fellowship.
We have interviewed him about his new project.
You recently successfully defended your PhD at the Centre for Privacy Studies, and now you have two postdoc years in Rome and Zurich.
What is your new research project about?
The postdoctoral project, titled “The Architecture of Immunity: Planning, Building, and Reclaiming Baroque Rome (1656–1668),” has been awarded the Carlsberg Internationalisation Fellowship, enabling work between Rome (Danish Academy) and Zurich (Chair of the History and Theory of Architecture, Prof. Dr. Maarten Delbeke, ETH Zurich).
The research aims to explore the historical built environment’s response to simultaneous crises, encompassing political, biological, and economic challenges. Focusing on the city of Rome in the second half of the 17th century, the study serves as a paradigmatic case to investigate the concept of ‘immunity’ within its historical architectural context. It delves into how architecture emerged as the most powerful instrument to withstand the perfect storm resulting from the convergence of a biological crisis (the plague epidemic of 1656-57) and diplomatic struggles between Pope Alexander VII and Louis XIV.
Do you have specific plans for articles or research activities in your new project?
The research adopts an interdisciplinary approach, analysing spatial, demographic, economic, and diplomatic unpublished documents to shed light on the agencies crucial to the historical development of the notion of ‘immunity.’ To achieve this, I will conduct extensive archival research, primarily at the Archivio Apostolico Vaticano and the Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana. The focus will be on two main phenomena: Alexander VII’s architectural prophylaxis system for the plague (1656-57) and Louis XIV’s urban tactics to reclaim the French quarter (1662-68).
Preliminary research on these case studies has already been presented at two conferences in 2023 (AISU International, Ferrara; Symposium of Urban Design History and Theory, Delft), and two more are scheduled for March and June 2024 (The Renaissance Society of America—Chicago; EAHN—Athens). Conferences serve as crucial platforms to test arguments and receive feedback from the academic community: my aim is to publish two articles in leading architectural journals, one for each case study.
In addition to the articles, I plan to organise an international interdisciplinary symposium on the architectures of immunity at ETH Zurich and an exhibition showcasing the archival material at the Danish Academy in Rome.
How are you carrying your insights from Privacy into your new project?
The project explores the implications of the concept of ‘immunity’ on architectural production in 17th-century Rome, specifically during the reigns of Alexander VII and Louis XIV. It originates from my doctoral research on the notion of privacy under Louis XIV in Versailles, conducted at PRIVACY, where it shares an interdisciplinary approach. During my PhD, I conducted archival research at the Archivio Apostolico Vaticano, examining correspondence between the apostolic nuncios from Paris to the Holy See. This research revealed the close bond between the French and Roman courts. The joint efforts to suppress Protestantism, coupled with the conflicting ambitions for political supremacy at the European level, along with ceremonial similarities at court and in the pursuit of self-celebration with Antiquity, led me to recognise parallel patterns between Louis XIV and Alexander VII.
Furthermore, ‘immunity’ and ‘privacy’ are interconnected concepts. In addition to the traditional opposition between ‘publicus’ and ‘privatus,’ the term ‘privatus’ also conveys the meaning of “one who does not hold office” (‘privilegium’: privus-légem, without-duty), linking it to the more obscure semantic realm of ‘immunity’ (‘im-munus’: without-debt, -duty, -office) according to Festus. Therefore, ‘privatus’ and ‘immunus’ share the same etymological root.
It is essential to note that immunity can apply to individuals, groups, or institutions, and its activation does not necessarily involve the exclusion of others. On the contrary, it emphasises the inclusion of foreign entities, whether they are buildings, diplomatic delegations, or viruses, from political, legal, or virological standpoints, respectively.
In this context, the current research aims to focus on historical phenomena that I have previously highlighted but can be more effectively investigated using the concept of immunity as a catalyst.