Wrecks - old tales, new life This is the special topic of the new edition of The International Biennial of Underwater Images. The "wrecks" are mainly boats - small or large - that irretrievably ended in a seabed or lakebed. The reason for shipwreck may have been a storm, the impact of a cliff or a coral reef, one of the frequent air raids during WWII, which also saw many airplanes ending on the seabed after they were downed by hostile fire, and they too are seen as "wrecks". There are entire "cemeteries" of wreaks in peaceful places that were affected without really playing a role in those dramatic events, e.g. the Island of Truck in Micronesia, Rabaul in Papua New Guinea, the Mediterranean sea and many others. So it's nothing to be cheerful about. The wreaks are reminders of a tragedy, no doubt about that. For those who had to live through the last years of the conflict, they will certainly arouse strong emotions and bring back memories. To others, they will possibly recall a few pages of our history. However, visitors of a wreck are mainly attracted by the new life that has completely taken possession of those places since, and is an incredibly fascinating sight. In the sea, in fact a wreak soon finds a good reason for its existence. Within short time it becomes colonized by the most various kinds of animals, colonies of sponges will cling to its surfaces and cover it like a yellow and red carpet, corals of all sorts embellish the bridges; fish find refuge in a protected environment rich with "apartments" perfectly adapted to any form and size of future "tenants". In no time, what once was an airplane or boat becomes an enormous condominium. Decks are transformed into galleries crowded with shoals of translucent fish, while the rails are blooming with alcionaries like the balconies of a stately mansion. The wreaks often attract pelagic fish that once in a while will patrol the area on the lookout for easy prey. It not unusual to see sharks or jackfish on the prowl. Such a place is therefore a special environment, surprising and intriguing in many ways, different from the coral reef and closer to our reality, hosting a vast mixture of creatures and sea life, concentrated in a restricted area, a small universe in itself. You can dive on the same wreck at different times, and depending on the hour, the light or the season, it looks different again and again. Images of Festival 2005 Slide Show parte 1. Slide Show parte 2. Honor Guest Christian Pétron Conferences Thursday 27 Hall B 20.30 "Old wreaks: fragments of lost history" Ancient shipping, the commercial routes, the main causes of shipwrecks in ancient times, the importance of the wrecks for naval and underwater archeology, the problems related to salvages, the treatment and conservation of ancient ships. Speaker: Prof. Enrico Ciabatti "The biology of wreaks, a new tool for the understanding of the sea" The wreaks, at the center of growing interest in underwater studies, but also ideal places for the repopulation of the depths, can develop effective promotional dynamics in generating awareness for marine environment. Moreover, wreaks can have a great importance in studying how the colonization of a breeding-ground proceeds and how its populations succeed one another, changing in time and according to the orientation of the surfaces. Speaker: Dr. Angelo Mojetta Projections Ample space will be given to the Diaporama-slide projections, staying at the core of the show. The audience will be immersed in the most beautiful and diverse marine life environments to experience moments of fantasy and emotion. The Diaporama makes use of several projectors, using a crossfading technique. It is of great effect and will fascinate the audience not only for its contents but also for the spectacular beauty of the images. The authors invited to Lugano present precious works considered to be of particular interest by the Biennale organization. Friday 28 Slide-show - Hall A 09.15 - 10.30 Programme for schools 14.15 - 15.30 Programme for schools 16.30 - 18.30 Slide-shows competition 20.30 - 23.00 Slide-show, presenter Gino Buscaglia Saturday 29 Awarding of prizes - Hall A 11.00 - 12.00 Projection of awarded works - part 1 14.00 - 14.30 Projection of awarded works - part 2 14.30 - 15.30 Story and myth of the Artiglio 15.30 - 16.45 Titanic - Anatomie d'un naufrage, film presented by the cameraman Christian Pétron 20.30 - 23.00 Slide-show, presenter Gino Buscaglia The authors of the slide-shows: Raymond Sahuquet, Renza e Pierfranco Dilenge, Fulvia e Pierluigi Bortoletto, Andrea e Liana Pivari, Carlo Mari, Tony Malmquist, Tania e Mirko Zanni, Mauro e Franca Bernasconi Leandro Blanco (video) Friday 28 Projection of stereoscopic slide-shows & video - Hall B 14.00 - 18.00   20.00 - 21.00   Saturday 29 Projection of stereoscopic slide-shows & video - Hall B 09.00 - 12.00   14.00 - 18.30   The autohrs - stereoscopic slide-shows:Raymond Sahuquet, Bernard Rothan, Lionel Pozzoli - video:Osvaldo Ballabio, Fulvia e Pierluigi Bortoletto, Emilio Bottin, DRS-Karussell and some awarded or selected programmes in competition Exhibitions An exhibition on Wreaks, found in sweet-water and in the sea, will open in the hall of the Congress Palace, with the cooperation the Natural History Museum of Lugano. Pictures will tell the stories of the wreaks, of their old and new life. Famed photographers who have sailed and explored the most distant seas of the world but at the same time know the secrets of our own country's lakes - Kurt Amsler, Franco Banfi, Mauro Bernasconi, Pierfranco Dilenge, Daniel Mazza, Roberto Rinaldi - will exhibit pictures on some of the most impressive and inspiring wreaks. Surprising how marine life has take possession of them. In order to complete the exhibition, the Ancient Story of the Sea, of the Deep Sea Divers of Genoa, will participate with some objects belonging to old ships. There will also be interesting contributions from the Musée du Léman of Nyon, about the wreaks of the lake Léman. The exhibition may be visited: thursday January 27th 2005 20.30 - 22.00 Friday January 28th 2005 09.00 - 23.00 Saturday January 29th 2005 09.00 - 23.00 Immediately after the Biennial, the exhibition may be visited at the Lugano Cantonal Natural History Museum. Special event The International Artiglio Award of Viareggio (Italy)will be represented in Lugano. Artiglio is the famous name of a glorious wreck (1930). His incredible story will be told us from people, who cares about the ancient boat and wants to transmit his memory. The story will certainly fascinate those who like adventures of old times, and audacious men without fear, ready to go beyond the threshold of danger. Artiglio II is the new vessel, that has given life back to the myth, and realized dreams of the past crew. Exhibition spaces Swiss and foreign companies and associations with activities linked to water worlds, particularly underwater life, will have the opportunity of presenting their activities to the public. On display are: books, magazines, travel offers, diving equipment, everything for divers. Competitions The Hermann Heberlein Award is offered in memory of a great Swiss pioneer of photography and scientific underwater research. The following competitions will be organized: - the "International" of underwater photography - the "International" of underwater slide-show - the "International" of underwater video The prizes will be awarded during the Biennial of Underwater Images in Lugano.