Far RAW 2025 we will present an event that engages with the architectural space and ancient garden of the convent of the Servants of Mary, also known as "Le Mantellate," named after the black cloak that characterized their monastic habit. The choice of the event name, Hortus Conclusus, is particularly significant in this sense, as the Latin phrase refers to the cloisters and enclosed gardens used in the Middle Ages within the walls of monasteries for the cultivation of fruit trees and medicinal herbs. Nourishment and healing are the guiding principles governing the planting and restore the profound meaning of this type of garden, constructed following the same structure as Eden, the earthly paradise described in the Bible. The garden of the Residenza Leone XIII in via delle Mantellate, recently renovated as a hotel, is therefore particularly suitable for the occasion. It was created from the ancient monastery built by Clement IX in 1699 for the nuns of the Visitation, located in front of the ancient women's prison of the Mantellate, remembered in Gabriella Ferri's masterful interpretation of "Le Mantellate" by Strehler and Carpi (1959).
The concept of Hortus Conclusus is the guiding thread of the event, whose aim is to trace a timeless line to evoke symbols and suggestions that evoke the sense of sacredness, devotion, contemplation and meditation of the chosen place.
