Utsanga.it is an independent online magazine dedicated to liminal analysis and experimental languages. Founded in September 2014 by Francesco Aprile and Cristiano Caggiula, it has established itself over more than a decade as one of the most significant Italian platforms for research at the crossroads between poetry, visual art, sound, and digital experimentation.
The name “Utsanga,” a Sanskrit term meaning “womb,” metaphorically evokes a generative space — a womb of creation — where new forms of expression are born. The magazine is ideally dedicated to the memory and work of Francesco Saverio Dòdaro, a key figure in Italian visual poetry and new writing, whose rigorous and multifaceted research continues to inspire its direction.
Utsanga explores the poetic word in its extraliterary forms, pushing the boundaries of what we traditionally call “writing.” The magazine investigates hybrid, interstitial, and experimental languages, including:
- Visual poetry
- Asemic writing
- Concrete poetry
- Sound poetry
- Video poetry
- Digital art
- Performance
- Liminal criticism and theory
Rather than limiting itself to conventional literary criticism, Utsanga adopts a liminal perspective — operating in the threshold zones between disciplines, media, and genres — to map the transformations of contemporary creative languages.
Founded in September 2014 by Francesco Aprile and Cristiano Caggiula in the province of Lecce (Puglia, Italy), Utsanga.it emerged from a desire to create a space for critical and historical reflection on experimental poetry, visual arts, and hybrid languages. The name “Utsanga,” a Sanskrit term meaning “womb” or “embrace,” perfectly symbolizes the magazine’s mission: to provide a generative, inclusive space that embraces diverse forms of artistic expression on the edges of traditional literature.
The magazine is ideally dedicated to Francesco Saverio Dòdaro, a poet, writer, visual poet, and theorist whose rigorous and humanistic research has profoundly inspired its vision. Over its first decade (2014–2024), Utsanga published 41 issues, building a solid international reputation through consistent, high-quality contributions.
Utsanga.it specializes in criticism and research languages, with particular attention to:
- Visual poetry, concrete poetry, and asemic writing
- Digital poetry and new media experiments
- Sound poetry and performative practices
- Mail art, artist’s books, and interdisciplinary projects
- Liminal and experimental practices that blur the lines between literature, visual art, and theory
The magazine regularly features critical essays, artist presentations, anthologies, manifestos, and calls for participation (such as the major mail art call for its 10th anniversary). It maintains an active international editorial board and collaborates with artists, poets, and theorists worldwide.
Utsanga is not merely an observer but an active promoter of contemporary experimental culture. It organizes and supports exhibitions, book presentations, and cultural events, fostering dialogue between Italian and international scenes.
With its ISSN 2421-3365, Utsanga.it continues its journey as a reference point for those interested in the most innovative and boundary-pushing expressions of contemporary poetic and artistic research. It remains a vibrant “womb” where new languages are born and nurtured.
Website: www.utsanga.it
Utsanga.it: Activities Beyond Magazine Issues
In addition to regularly publishing its online issues, Utsanga.it has developed a rich program of cultural initiatives, artistic projects, and networking activities that extend its role as a platform for liminal and experimental research. These activities strengthen its international network and actively contribute to the dissemination of visual poetry, mail art, asemic writing, and interdisciplinary practices.
Major Projects and Celebrations
10th Anniversary Celebration (2014–2024) One of the most significant undertakings was the decentralized celebration of the magazine’s first decade. This project, inspired by mail art principles, included:
- A major international Mail Art Call launched in early 2024 titled “Utsanga.it | 2014–2024: ten years celebration”. Artists were invited to intervene on a specially designed postcard and send it to three different Italian addresses (Francesco Aprile in Lecce, Ruggero Maggi in Milan, and Vincenzo Lagalla in Genoa). The call had no jury and no returns, in keeping with classic mail art ethics.
- Three physical exhibitions showcasing the received mail art works:
- Calimera (Lecce, Puglia) at Casa dei Kalimeriti (20–26 October 2024), curated by Egidio Marullo and Francesco Aprile.
- Montecarotto (Ancona) at the MAM – Museo d’Arte Moderna e della Mail Art (16 October 2024 – 10 January 2025), curated by Ruggero Maggi.
- Genoa at Former space (from 14 November 2024), curated by Vincenzo Lagalla.
- Additional exhibitions planned internationally, including one in Buenos Aires at the Hotel Dada center (“Utsanga 2014–2024: toward liminal spaces”).
Mail Art and Networking Activities
Utsanga has consistently promoted and documented mail art as a core practice. The magazine has:
- Published numerous dedicated sections and essays on the history and current developments of mail art.
- Acted as a promoter and intermediary for international calls and projects.
- Supported tributes and memorial projects, such as the call “Remembering Ruggero Maggi” and the earlier call “Pan/Paz – Homage to Clemente Padin”.
Exhibitions and Curatorial Work
- Utsanga.it Asemic Writing Exhibition — a focused exhibition project dedicated to asemic writing.
- Support for and participation in artist presentations, book launches, and interdisciplinary events that connect poetry, visual art, and performance.
- Archival initiatives, including the public presentation of the Utsanga archive in gallery settings.
Other Ongoing Initiatives
- Calls for Participation: Regular open calls for contributions not only for the magazine but also for special projects involving visual poetry, sound poetry, essays, and artistic interventions.
- International Collaborations: Building and maintaining relationships with artists, poets, and institutions worldwide (especially in Europe and Latin America).
- Decentralized Events: Organization or co-organization of festivals, congresses, and decentralized gatherings that blend criticism, artistic practice, and community building.
Utsanga.it functions as a dynamic cultural hub rather than a traditional magazine. Its activities emphasize networking, participation, and the creation of physical and virtual meeting spaces for experimental artistic languages. These initiatives complement the online publication and help keep the “liminal analysis” alive through direct engagement with the international artistic community.
Utsanga.it: Origins – Contrabbando Poetico and Unconventional Press
Before founding Utsanga.it in September 2014, Francesco Aprile and Cristiano Caggiula developed a shared path of artistic research, political protest, and experimental publishing that directly gave birth to the magazine. These two experiences — Contrabbando Poetico and Unconventional Press — represent the foundational roots of Utsanga’s liminal approach.
Contrabbando Poetico (2011)
In 2011, amid a period of deep economic, cultural, and social crisis in Italy and Europe, Francesco Aprile founded Contrabbando Poetico (“Poetic Smuggling”), a group dedicated to artistic research and protest. He soon involved Cristiano Caggiula, who was then studying in Rome but frequently returning to the Salento region (Puglia).
The group’s name evokes the idea of smuggling poetry into everyday life — an illegal, subversive act of dissemination. Their approach was characterized by:
- Parasitic and performative poetry that intervened directly in urban contexts.
- Low-cost, high-circulation methods of distribution (posters, flyers, actions in public spaces).
- A strongly political and anti-conventional stance, rejecting consolatory or pacified messages.
- Emphasis on performance, protest, and the physical dissemination of poetic materials outside traditional literary circuits.
Contrabbando Poetico operated as a collective of young artists under thirty, blending poetry, visual art, and social activism. It “exploded” after about a year, but its energy and ideas continued to evolve.
Unconventional Press (2012–ongoing as publisher)
In late 2011 / early 2012, Aprile and Caggiula transformed the experience of Contrabbando Poetico into Unconventional Press, an independent publishing project and direct evolution of the previous group.
Unconventional Press focused on:
- The intersection between self-publishing techniques and contemporary digital and technological scenarios.
- The creation of unconventional printing forms that exist halfway between artist’s books, literary works, and performance art.
- The idea that the medium itself (the support) is never neutral but carries historical, political, and contextual meaning.
- Experimental editions that challenged traditional notions of the book and readability.
Unconventional Press published several works by Aprile and Caggiula (such as hekátē atto II by Caggiula in 2015) and served as the official publisher of Utsanga.it from its first issue. It remains active today primarily as the publishing label behind the magazine.
From These Roots to Utsanga.it
These two projects formed the practical, theoretical, and ethical foundation for Utsanga.it. The experience of smuggling poetry into reality (Contrabbando) and experimenting with unconventional forms of production and dissemination (Unconventional Press) led Aprile and Caggiula to create a more structured yet still radically open space: an international online magazine dedicated to liminal analysis, experimental languages, visual poetry, asemic writing, and interdisciplinary research.
Utsanga inherited the rebellious, independent, and generative spirit of its predecessors, while expanding it into a broader international dialogue and a more systematic mapping of contemporary practices. As Francesco Aprile wrote, the magazine represents a continuation of that journey — from poetic smuggling and unconventional publishing to the creation of a living “womb” (grembo) for new languages.
Website: www.utsanga.it Publisher: Unconventional Press
