Awakening through art | Peter Assmann | TEDxMantova
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0:11 - 0:15Personally, I have to say,
I love sleeping a lot. -
0:16 - 0:21I love making that transition
to another world and dreaming. -
0:23 - 0:28And what I love the most is waking up
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0:29 - 0:32with some ideas
that I took from the dream. -
0:33 - 0:39A dream that normally opens new doors,
so I can face new possibilities: -
0:39 - 0:41how can one look at someonee's life?
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0:42 - 0:46How will I consider the next situation?
-
0:47 - 0:51And so waking up, for me,
means getting on the move, -
0:52 - 0:55choosing the new path to take today.
-
0:56 - 1:00To orient oneself,
to orient oneself towards the new, -
1:00 - 1:03not on the same old road.
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1:04 - 1:08So look for a bit
where a new door opens up, -
1:08 - 1:12and what new goal it leads me to.
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1:13 - 1:15And that also means deciding,
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1:15 - 1:19among the many possibilities
brought about by a new day - -
1:19 - 1:22after a good night's sleep, of course.
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1:24 - 1:27Open the doors, open up to new ideas,
and open up to the world. -
1:29 - 1:36Open up to creativity:
that's a bit of my life purpose. -
1:36 - 1:43Also, it's not just about me:
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1:43 - 1:47because I can do almost anything,
I can be creative. -
1:47 - 1:53But I fulfill a social purpose
only if ideas are shared. -
1:53 - 1:57If many others participate
to what you've developed. -
1:58 - 1:59This is Mantua.
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2:00 - 2:05We're talking about a city
that for decades was a "Sleeping Beauty". -
2:06 - 2:09Sleeping well is fine,
but it can be too much. -
2:10 - 2:13Beautiful - beauty also means beautiful,
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2:13 - 2:15but for whom?
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2:15 - 2:16For a few?
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2:16 - 2:17For many?
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2:18 - 2:19Too many, maybe?
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2:21 - 2:25When I was called
to direct the largest complex, -
2:25 - 2:29the museum complex of Palazzo Ducale,
here in Mantua city, -
2:30 - 2:34I said no: I'm not the prince
kissing that sleeping beauty. -
2:34 - 2:39I appeal to the professionals
in the field, the creative minds. -
2:39 - 2:41These are the artists,
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2:41 - 2:45these are the contemporary artists
who work every day on creativity. -
2:47 - 2:52In Mantua we have the strongest example,
we have almost a magic word, -
2:53 - 2:55called Gonzaga.
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2:55 - 3:01The family that turned little Mantua
into a great Mantua. -
3:02 - 3:05Here is a view
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3:05 - 3:10of our very famous
Bridal Chamber, "camera picta", -
3:10 - 3:16because it is just painted
with a unique creativity. -
3:17 - 3:20For over two centuries, the Gonzaga family
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3:21 - 3:26always focused on creativity
and always brought in new ideas. -
3:27 - 3:30They were always aware:
what is the latest fashion? -
3:30 - 3:36Isabella d'Este as a great
style icon of her time. -
3:37 - 3:42Always new artists: they championed
Pisanello, for instance, -
3:42 - 3:47with his large drawings on the wall,
a new revolutionary idea, -
3:47 - 3:50Andrea Mantegna, Giulio Romano -
there are many to mention. -
3:51 - 3:54But you have to understand
that all these artists, -
3:54 - 3:58who now we consider great masters
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3:58 - 4:03in their time were contemporary,
and also much discussed. -
4:03 - 4:04Even as foreigners:
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4:04 - 4:11Rubens, was "the Italian Flemish",
not everyone accepted him immediately. -
4:12 - 4:14Monteverdi, too, is one from Cremona.
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4:15 - 4:17(Laughter)
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4:17 - 4:22He became the great Monteverdi in Mantua,
before dying in Venice. -
4:24 - 4:28So you can awaken a city with art:
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4:28 - 4:30Mantua is the most beautiful example
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4:30 - 4:34because what Gonzagas understood
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4:34 - 4:35is that image survives.
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4:36 - 4:40What gives strength, for a very long time,
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4:40 - 4:44is the image, it is the composition
and involvement in the image. -
4:46 - 4:48Let's talk about other cities:
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4:49 - 4:53you all know it, this is
the most visited museum in Italy. -
4:54 - 4:58It's called the Uffizi: what does it mean?
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4:59 - 5:04It first wasn't meant to be a museum,
but a redfile building. -
5:05 - 5:07They did "Uffizi" [Offices], here.
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5:07 - 5:12But in the gallery of this building
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5:12 - 5:17few paintings were exhibited,
and then gradually other paintings -
5:17 - 5:19in others floors too.
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5:20 - 5:24And the Uffizi, over time, become a museum
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5:24 - 5:28thanks to a decision
to focus precisely on art -
5:28 - 5:32creating an environment
that's now one of the most visited places. -
5:33 - 5:35Let's take another example:
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5:36 - 5:39Rome, also well known,
with the largest amphitheatre. -
5:39 - 5:42It's hard to imagine [that] for centuries,
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5:42 - 5:47this great amphitheater
was simply a repository. -
5:48 - 5:53It has been used as, say,
a free source -
5:53 - 5:57for construction sites
in current buildings. -
5:57 - 6:00And then, at some point,
someone said, "No, come on. -
6:01 - 6:05We have to take care of this,
we must reassess, -
6:06 - 6:08we must awaken this monument
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6:08 - 6:10because it is the very center
of ancient Rome." -
6:10 - 6:17So, it's about a city that's much bigger
than the city we live in now. -
6:17 - 6:19Today, the Colosseum, as you know,
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6:20 - 6:25is one of the most visited monuments,
all over Italy and the world. -
6:25 - 6:27Another example is Venice.
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6:30 - 6:33Venice, at the end
of the eighteenth century -
6:33 - 6:36was just the casino of Europe.
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6:37 - 6:40One could even say the brothel of Europe.
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6:40 - 6:45Forbidden to minors,
because it was a bit of a sin city. -
6:46 - 6:49But little by little, art became
more important here as well. -
6:49 - 6:53The interest on gambling
went progressively down, -
6:53 - 6:55in favour of Tiziano and Tintoretto.
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6:56 - 6:58But this was not enough for the Venetians
-
6:58 - 7:02who were always very keen
on their international identity. -
7:02 - 7:09They created a fabulous idea:
1895, the first Biennale. -
7:10 - 7:14Not Biennial of the past art:
of contemporary art! -
7:15 - 7:20So a direct comparison, in a city
almost museum-like, every two years. -
7:20 - 7:24This concept - now, this year,
we live another experience: -
7:25 - 7:27many come,
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7:27 - 7:31many meet up here
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7:31 - 7:35to deal with the current creativity.
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7:35 - 7:37Great idea, great success.
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7:39 - 7:41Let's talk about
another place, the Louvre. -
7:42 - 7:47The Louvre, as you know,
was the home of the French royal family. -
7:47 - 7:50Then, let's say, the center of power.
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7:51 - 7:53The French Revolution changed everything.
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7:54 - 7:57They decided: we no longer have the king,
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7:57 - 8:01but we turn this building
into a museum for all citizens -
8:02 - 8:05who have the right to approach
the creativity of the past. -
8:07 - 8:08A long period, a museum,
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8:09 - 8:15and then a bit of a crisis
because it was a bit stuck in the past. -
8:15 - 8:18And some people thought,
what can we do -
8:18 - 8:23to take a new step
towards our current life? -
8:24 - 8:26And they built the pyramid,
-
8:26 - 8:30this intervention
of contemporary architecture -
8:30 - 8:34that gave another center of attention
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8:34 - 8:38not only spatial but also spiritual
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8:38 - 8:39for this centre.
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8:40 - 8:46Today, as you know, the Louvre
is the most visited museum in the world. -
8:46 - 8:49Think- Austria hosts
eight million residents. -
8:49 - 8:55All the inhabitants of Austria
come to visit the Louvre every year. -
8:56 - 9:04Let’s talk about London, a huge city:
so many problems, countless citizens. -
9:04 - 9:08Many places, even a British Museum
as their traditional museum. -
9:09 - 9:11But it was disconnected to young people:
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9:12 - 9:15so the Tate Modern was built.
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9:15 - 9:18And it was not decided to create
a new museum, quite the opposite: -
9:18 - 9:21an existing structure was used
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9:21 - 9:25and transformed it into a museum
of contemporary art. -
9:25 - 9:28And now, all the young people
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9:28 - 9:33are coming to visit this factory.
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9:33 - 9:37Young people of age
but also of brain, of course. -
9:37 - 9:41Let’s talk about Barcelona,
also a very interesting city, -
9:43 - 9:45with many rhythms and problems.
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9:46 - 9:51When they suggested the idea
to make a new museum for contemporary art, -
9:51 - 9:56they didn't put it
on the most prestigious square. -
9:56 - 9:59They took it and brought it,
and created it, -
9:59 - 10:02right in the middle
of a very problematic environment, -
10:02 - 10:06both from a social
and economic perspective. -
10:06 - 10:08And with this investment everything -
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10:09 - 10:13not all the problems,
but many problems have been solved. -
10:14 - 10:18And then one must
always quote the Bilbao effect. -
10:18 - 10:20I visited Bilbao,
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10:20 - 10:26and I can say that it wasn't
a nice city, the opposite, -
10:27 - 10:29I do not want to say bad words.
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10:29 - 10:33But this brilliant idea
of bringing a museum, -
10:34 - 10:37with a great name as Guggenheim,
right into the city, -
10:37 - 10:42and then creating an architecture
that is a point of attraction itself, -
10:42 - 10:44changed the life in the city.
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10:44 - 10:47If you go to Bilbao today,
you'll find not just tourists -
10:47 - 10:50but a city that's completely awakened.
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10:50 - 10:51Wonderful.
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10:53 - 10:55My last thought:
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10:56 - 10:57now we understand
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10:57 - 11:00that you can awaken with art, every day.
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11:00 - 11:02From the biggest [town] to the smallest.
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11:03 - 11:07But what I would like to give you is,
somewhat as a message, -
11:08 - 11:10that this is your right.
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11:11 - 11:14When they draw the universal human rights,
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11:14 - 11:18after the World War II,
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11:18 - 11:20they also added article 27.
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11:21 - 11:22You can read it:
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11:22 - 11:24it is a right for us to participate,
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11:25 - 11:31to have access to contemporaneity,
to have access to creativity. -
11:31 - 11:34So let's exercise this right.
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11:34 - 11:35Thank you.
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11:35 - 11:38(Applause)
- Title:
- Awakening through art | Peter Assmann | TEDxMantova
- Description:
-
How can art help awaken the vitality of a city? Peter Assmann, curator of art exhibitions and director of the Palazzo Ducale Museum Complex in Mantua, leads us to discover how the courage to open up to creativity has allowed us to create the most visited places on the planet.
This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community.
Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx
- Video Language:
- Italian
- Team:
- closed TED
- Project:
- TEDxTalks
- Duration:
- 11:43
Muriel de Meo approved English subtitles for Risvegliarsi con l'arte | Peter Assmann | TEDxMantova | ||
Nicoletta Pedrana accepted English subtitles for Risvegliarsi con l'arte | Peter Assmann | TEDxMantova | ||
Nicoletta Pedrana edited English subtitles for Risvegliarsi con l'arte | Peter Assmann | TEDxMantova | ||
Michele Gianella edited English subtitles for Risvegliarsi con l'arte | Peter Assmann | TEDxMantova | ||
Michele Gianella edited English subtitles for Risvegliarsi con l'arte | Peter Assmann | TEDxMantova |