http://www.theprimate.it
The June issue of The Journal is published an artist's conversation between Settis Salvatore and Giulia Maria Crespi who were asked to outline the current framework of the Italian artistic and environmental heritage . Their perspective emphasizes conditions alarming crisis of values, cultural crisis, a crisis of political will and awareness of the crisis. We do not realize (or do not want to realizing) the path taken and the loss in we are going to meet. Today as never feels the need to reflect and to revise our model of social and cultural development as a result of the economic crisis. An example that should make us think, and that warning, is the increase of physical and mental illnesses linked to environmental problems: discomfort in the strict sense, but also discomfort resulting from the loss of values \u200b\u200band identity, including cultural, factors that trigger stress and diseases.
The vision we have of development is distorted: it is a headlong rush, unconditional, ongoing research of well-being that leads to building more and more, wanting more, never to be satisfied, it becomes unable to enjoy the beauty that gradually destroy. Our heritage and environment is in constant danger because of decay, not of carelessness, the ugly, that we invade and axle. The suburbs lost identity, lost value and approve according to the canons of modern building so frantic and indiscriminate (and often without a minimum of decency and honor, and in the absence of a larger project and overall). E 'need to rethink and undertake development models, or explore new theories, which also take account of intangible items, individual, cultural previously not considered to reach a new model of development and globalization.
Topics such as the protection of artistic and environmental heritage, especially in Italy where these values \u200b\u200bare born, are elements that can help give a new meaning to life and the lives of individuals. Different elements have lost value over time and others have combined together to create new and dangerous relationships. The combination of new construction technologies and the growth of welfare has led to indiscriminate exploitation of land without considering the human relationship and space that was lost.
need a greater awareness on the part of all: the urgency is not to stop development and construction, but do think about the need to build and continuously, without a rationale, but only for obvious economic interests. Better would be to channel these interests into a reconstruction and rehabilitation of what has already been built, even in terms of safety and image, to retrieve those values \u200b\u200bthat were once at the base of the building, ie harmony, security and durability.
The current production model leads us to continuously create, sell and buy in all areas and in all contexts of life, without considering the limited availability of resources for people of today and those who come after us. The result is an urgent need to produce, consume and get rid of things without thinking that they can live a second life, which may enjoy a second chance thanks to the reuse and adaptation in other contexts, or can be created to withstand the test of time.
Consumerism has led to a loss of value of things because of their availability and massive redundancy. If today is the economic interest to move the gears of the system and its complexities, then you must consider that the reuse, rehabilitation of dilapidated, unsafe and sustainability of producing and stir economies, including the safety the system can become a moment of production of income and productivity. Should retransmit the cultural values \u200b\u200bthat we have forgotten, combined with the idea of \u200b\u200bcitizenship and belonging and to safeguard the interest of us all now citizens of this, and those who come after us.
In all of us there is the potential to change ourselves and the world, taking up the motto most famous artist Joseph Beuys , "We are the revolution" just learn to harness the energy that flows through every human being, and in the beautiful in nature and re-appropriating our heritage before it is destroyed or forgotten.
Notes:
"Settis Salvatore and Giulia Maria Crespi: Italy is so self-destructive" in The Art Newspaper, 2009, Year XXVII, No 288, June, pp.1, 8-11, Umberto Allemandi, Torino.
Salvatore Settis archaeologist director of the Scuola Normale di Pisa, a columnist for La Repubblica and guardian of our heritage.
Giulia Maria Crespi, founder of FAI, the Italian Environment Fund and a descendant of the family of textile manufacturers in Milan, already owners of the Corriere della Sera.
Joseph Beuys (1921-1986), European artists and intellectuals, was among the founders of the Green Party in Germany, remains the biggest example of how the artist has changed in the second half of the twentieth century, reaching the fuse and confuse private life, works political commitment, social and civil actions with words, photographs, lectures, speeches and memories.
