Future DiverCities’ Post

Antinomia, finissage today, October 3, at 6.30 pm, at Avantgarden Gallery, Milan. The Antinomia, my last exhibition ends after 4 months. It is an unpublished urban tale, made up of urban legends and creative destruction, an artivist, counter-trend and anti-commercial documentary, factors that have inevitably influenced my expressive language both on an aesthetic and poetic level, contributing and in some cases, anticipating the development of currents such as: post-graffitism, brandalism, postvandalism and antistyle. A contemporary story that has been celebrating fight and trasform the degradation of society as an aesthetic and cultural factor for over 30 years.

Thinking about the future: Going beyond high watchmaking. "Knowledge is the most precious asset of humanity, even though human beings often forget that. Any initiative whose goal is the preservation and sharing of this knowledge must be celebrated – especially when we are talking about two centennial institutions of the calibre of Vacheron Constantin and the Metropolitan Museum of Art." ____ #essentialalgarve #art #culture #globalart #knowledge #MetropolitanMuseumArt #VacheronConstantin #LouvreMuseum  (Co-financiamento: Cresc Algarve 2020, Portugal 2020 e União Europeia através do Fundo Europeu de Desenvolvimento Regional) #openmediagroup

The Ecologies of Peace: Centro de Creacion Contemporanes de Andalucía Our youngest daughter lives and works in Cordoba, Andalucía. Visiting there during the past week, I took the opportunity to revisit this superb contemporary art space. The first exhibition I saw there was devoted to the struggle to preserve our planet, and especially the lives and cultures of indigenous peoples threatened by climate change and planetary abuse. It was inspirational. This new exhibition - The Ecologies of Peace (Ecologias de la Paz) is similarly evocative of a disturbed world. But also of the inspiration to resist this can bring. One of the Exhibits focuses on the destruction of the theatre in Mariupol, Ukraine: it encompasses the struggle to recreate the space in which so many sought refuge and died, using digital technologies. The idea, drawing on diverse testimony, is to chronicle the desperate struggle for survival, before the bombing, and then the aftermath. It is an attempt to document, in a systematic way, what amount to war crimes. The evidence will be presented to the International Criminal Court. There is a related exhibit of aircraft of diverse kinds hovering over humanity, bringing many more potential Guernicas . This is what the curators eloquently say of their work: 'The Ecologies of Peace interweaves several pressing constellations of “unpeace” in our time. It delves into the protracted military engagement in Ukraine, explores the enduring aftermath of colonialism, racism, and the carceral system, exposes the effects of patriarchal orders, and navigates the complex histories of conflict in the Middle East, which form the backdrop to the virulent eruption of war in October 2023. Furthermore, it scrutinizes the intricate topography of (future) conflicts driven by the addiction to fossil fuels, resource extractivism, and compounding environmental catastrophes. Within these conflict-ridden scenarios, the exhibition foregrounds a rich repertoire of investigative methodologies from the applied tools of counter-forensics, situated witnessing, and the meticulous archiving of the war machinery to the evocative power of storytelling, philosophical speculation, and prefigurative politics.    In the face of a host of global, interwoven, and increasingly complex crises, The Ecologies of Peace raises profound questions about the ethical, ecological, economic, conceptual, and aesthetic norms and practices, both individual and collective, that are at play when describing and reshaping human agency. For whatever the dilemmas wrought from thinking about peace, they indicate that peacefulness is an unending transformational query and a “traveling” idea, marked by the myriad stations, communities, and realities through which it passes'. Here's the link to the Centre and the Exhibition, which lasts till next year: https://lnkd.in/ev_TWmcM

Discover how art spaces can transform communities and influence cultural landscapes in my latest article, 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙄𝙢𝙥𝙖𝙘𝙩 𝙤𝙛 𝘼𝙧𝙩 𝙎𝙥𝙖𝙘𝙚𝙨 𝙤𝙣 𝘾𝙤𝙢𝙢𝙪𝙣𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙚𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝘾𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙩𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙨: 𝘼 𝙁𝙤𝙘𝙪𝙨 𝙤𝙣 𝙀𝙨𝙥𝙖𝙘𝙞𝙤 𝘼𝙧𝙩𝙚 𝙞𝙣 𝙋𝙖𝙣𝙖𝙢𝙖. Explore how this vibrant space in Panama is driving cultural growth, fostering local talent, and creating connections that reach beyond borders. Dive in to see how Espacio Arte exemplifies the powerful role of art in building resilient, dynamic communities.

More than 80 model pagodas – hand-crafted at a Jesuit-run orphanage workshop in Shanghai and exported to a 1915 international exposition in San Francisco – are now part of Singapore's National Collection. And, of course, they got the star treatment since arriving last year. It was my first time visiting the Heritage Conservation Centre, an unassuming, silver-shelled facility that houses Singapore's prized artefacts and artworks. In this labyrinthine building tucked away on Jurong Port Road, gloved conservators get up close to artefacts – some centuries-old – and do the hands-on work of readying these cultural objects for the public eye. These 84 pagoda models will be part of a year-long exhibition, Pagoda Odyssey 1915: From Shanghai To San Francisco, opening at the ACM (Asian Civilisations Museum) on May 31. In March, I went behind-the-scenes with lead conservator Leon Sim to learn how his team of seven spent six months conserving these century-old artefacts that reveal an interesting story about China-United States exchange, the glamour of the international expo format as well as the marvel of this Chinese architectural form. Another interesting cross-cultural point, which I did not mention in the story, is that the architectural form of the pagoda (which often have a religious function, often Buddhist, sometimes Taoist) was inspired by the South Asian hemispherical architectural form of the stupa. So these objects – along with the spread of Buddhism (Happy Vesak Day by the way!) – can tell a fascinating global story via Asia, which has been at the core of some of the most recent shows at the ACM. The public life of such cultural artefacts are often visible and celebrated when they go on exhibition, but they also have a curious "private life" that are privy to a small group of people – conservators being one such group. If you liked this story, I'd love to learn more about what you would like to learn about art and heritage conservation! There might be more of such stories coming your way. #art #singapore #conservation #heritage #museums #pagodas Read here:

The "Special Public-Private Partnership" (#PSPP) is a legal concept introduced into the Italian legal system to promote collaboration between the public and private sectors in the realisation and management of public interest works and services. This model is distinct from other forms of partnership because it is characterised by a greater integration and cooperation among the involved parties, aimed at improving the #efficiency, #innovation, and #sustainability of projects. The PSPP is governed by the Public Contracts Code (Legislative Decree No. 50/2016) and applies to various fields, including the management of #culturalheritage, #infrastructure, and #publicservices. **The Special Public-Private Partnership (PSPP) represents a cutting-edge strategy for #museummanagement, capable of uniting resources and expertise from both sectors to create an enriched and #sustainableculturalexperience.** ### Success Stories of the PSPP #### 1. **#OperationalEfficiency:** The case of the #DomusRomane di #PalazzoValentini in Rome, managed in partnership with Zètema Progetto Cultura, and then with Civita Mostre e Musei has demonstrated how operational efficiency can be significantly increased. The results have been impressive, with a 32% increase in revenue and a 25% reduction in costs over a five-year period. #### 2. **#InnovationandDigitalization:** The #Mann of Naples has leveraged the PSPP with the company Engineering to introduce an interactive app that uses augmented reality, attracting 20% more visitors. This example shows the potential of digital technologies to transform the visitor experience. #### 3. **#GreaterAccessibility:** At the #GalleriedellAccademia in Florence, the PSPP has led to the implementation of tactile workshops and guided tours for the visually impaired, increasing the number of visitors with disabilities by 15%. This reflects the importance of making art and culture accessible to all. #### 4. **#PromotionandCommunication:** The #MuseoEgizio in Turin, in collaboration with the Compagnia di San Paolo Foundation, saw a 40% increase in visitors thanks to an integrated communication campaign. This underscores the importance of effective marketing strategies to enhance the visibility and appeal of the museum. #### 5. **#EconomicSustainability:** The Archaeological Park of #Paestum in partnership with the company Ales, has gone from a deficit of 300,000 euros to a profit of 500,000 euros in three years, demonstrating how the PSPP can ensure economic sustainability and reduce reliance on public funds. ### International Applications World-renowned museums like the #Louvre in Paris and the #BritishMuseum in London have also successfully adopted the PSPP model, benefiting from additional resources and innovations that enhance the visitor experience. The adoption of the PSPP represents a great opportunity to evolve and adapt to new cultural and tourism needs, ensuring a bright and prosperous future for our museums.

"Brilliant art and artifacts drive economic activity and cultural growth, as museums and curators well know. We in the West have benefited greatly from these objects, but we have held on to them for long enough:" my latest column at The National News #museums #turkey #artcollector #art #masterpieces

It's always cool to see the work that my colleagues are doing across Canada, especially a museum which leans in to the advantages of replicas and replica-making! Kudos to USask's Museum of Antiquities for emphasizing the advantages of using replicas for education. https://lnkd.in/gj5MZiHw In my dissertation, I draw on a number of articles (including Erin Thompson's recent article, https://lnkd.in/gWH25gMY, and the work of Constanze Hampp and Stephan Schwan, https://lnkd.in/gGWeJi27) to discuss how replicas can be used in engagement and reconciliation. Understanding the value of replicas for museums is essential to restitution. Restitution is a main focus of many of the stories featured in the Museum of Looted Antiquities.

The Space in Between Conde Contemporary, 2024 “The Space in Between,” delves into the complex interplay of returning and belonging, capturing the essence of navigating between the past and the present. This exhibition explores the nuanced experience of coming back to familiar shores after a period of separation, where home is both a sanctuary and a landscape altered by time. At the heart of this exploration lies the metaphor of the silver cord—a luminous thread connecting our soul to our body, ensuring that even as we traverse spiritual or geographical distances, we remain tethered to our essence and origins. This cord symbolizes the enduring link between our place of birth and our chosen home, a bridge that holds us in a continuous state of connection despite physical separation As we traverse this liminal space, we confront the bittersweet tension of returning to a place that once held our deepest attachments but now appears both intimate and distant. The notion of home is redefined, revealing itself as a space that exists in perpetual transition. Here, we embrace the duality of existence—rooted in the past, yet perpetually evolving into the future. Much like the phenomena of quantum entanglement, where particles remain irrevocably connected across vast distances, the places of our birth and our chosen homes are bound in an invisible embrace, their connection transcending mere spatial separation. “The Space in Between” invites us to explore how we are both anchored and adrift, our hearts caught in the perpetual tug of dual belonging. This exhibition is a meditation on the beauty and complexity of existing in two spaces at once—a contemplation of how our memories and aspirations shape the continuum of our lives, eternally intertwined across time and space. #thespaceinbetween #condecontemporary #artinmiami #artexhibition #rubentorresllorca #portocarrero #ciroquintana #ruthowens #courtneyegan #andresconde #latinamericanart #americanart #newmedia #painting #sculpture #coralgables

'Expanding the Definitions of South Asia' In conversation with Nadine Khalil Ocula 2021