In Spoleto, from June 28 to July 13 and again on July 18–20 and 25–27, 2025, the exhibition Unhappen Unhappen Unhappen – Pepper’s Ghost Dioramas will be on display at the Ex-Baptistery of the Manna d’Oro.

The exhibition features the premiere of four animated dioramas using the Victorian theatrical illusion technique Pepper’s Ghost, created by Anathi Conjwa, William Kentridge, Micca Manganye, and Sabine Theunissen. The invented word "Unhappen" evokes the desire to erase traumatic events of the past—a process made impossible by its very meaning—and refers particularly to the trauma of apartheid and colonization, while also extending to difficult personal experiences. The repetition of the word in the title acts like a mantra that reinforces remembrance and invites reflection on memory and the past.

The Pepper’s Ghost technique, developed in the 19th century by John Henry Pepper, combines semi-silvered mirrors with projections and lighting to create illusions of superimposed images. This allows the artists to visually construct and deconstruct memories and narratives. The use of video compositing, live projection, dynamic sound, and lighting enhances the storytelling possibilities, allowing painful and controversial stories to be explored through miniaturized, performative worlds. The works oscillate between tabletop theatre and puppetry, creating layered and continuous narrative spaces.

This exhibition offers a confrontation with the past through new visual technologies, encouraging reflection on the relationship between memory, trauma, and representation.

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