MONKEYBIZ is the new show by Fossick Project, an ironic journey inspired by the 16th-century Chinese classic Journey to the West by Wu Ch’êng-ên. In this version, the famous trickster Goku, symbolizing cunning and magic, becomes a voice for environmental issues, focusing on the struggle for the survival of endangered species. The set, made of hand-drawn images and materials animated on a lightboard, evokes Chinese shadow puppetry in a wordless experience, where the original music enhances the meaning of the visuals. A visual and musical journey that breaks down language barriers, engaging audiences of all ages and cultures.
FOSSICK PROJECT is a duo formed by visual artist Cecilia Valagussa and singer-songwriter Marta Del Grandi. Their collaboration began in 2016 and has evolved over time with a focus on storytelling. Inspired by nature and the animal world, they chose to center their work around the theme of endangered species, writing their performances by visiting the habitats of the species they highlight as protagonists. Over the years, they have performed in Italy, Belgium, France, India, Nepal, and Thailand. Their live act consists of Cecilia’s analog animation on a projector, where she manually moves movable characters drawn on cutouts of colored film sheets and other materials like flour, water, and small objects. Marta writes songs and instrumental pieces, combining her voice with synths, guitars, beats, and field recordings made in the locations where the shows are performed. The duo has produced five performances to date: Long Tong Tales (2018), The Great Giant Leap (2019), Fire Charmers(2020), Gilgamesh (2022), and Underneath (2023). In 2020, they released their first short film, Wild Card, a 20-minute piece of music and animation in collaboration with producer Howie B (Björk, Massive Attack, U2…). Since 2020, they have worked with directors, festivals, and organizations worldwide, keeping analog music and animation at the core of their work while developing a unique technique for visual and sound storytelling composition.
Cecilia Valagussa is an Italian artist who primarily works with comics, illustration, animation, and performance. Raised in the province of Lecco, she studied Visual Arts at NABA Milan and later moved to Belgium to specialize in Comics and Illustration at LUCA School of Arts, Brussels. Her comics have been featured in international magazines such as VICE US, Stripburger, Kutikuti, Kus!, and B comics. She is the author of five graphic novels, including ColoreInferno (Ifix Edizioni IT, 2018), Gilgamesh (Obriart FR – Vite BE, 2021), and Null’altro che un Lampo (Hoppìpolla IT, 2024). From 2009 to 2013, she worked with the F84 Collective, focusing on interactive public art projects. She currently lives in Bologna and works at the shared studio Checkpoint Charly.
Marta Del Grandi is a Milanese singer, composer, and producer. After studying music in Belgium, she moved first to China and then to Nepal, where she lived for two and a half years in Kathmandu. Immersing herself in such a different environment deeply influenced her perspective on the world and, in turn, the music and lyrics she wrote for her debut album Until We Fossilize (2021, Fire Records) and the follow-up Selva (2023, Fire Records). In addition to her main projects, she has collaborated with musicians from Europe and Asia, including the Belgian group Mòs Ensemble. She has also worked on several audiovisual projects, including music for films and advertisements.
