Art as a tool to transform a crises in a creative experience

Transcription

1 Art as a tool to transform a crises in a creative experience

2 The Italian artistic Reinasance was inspired by the ideas of the humanist philosopher Pico della Mirandola ( ) who explained in his writing De hominis dignitate (The Oratio on dignity of man, 1486)1, that Man is free and and sovereign creator of himself, as he believed on human capacity he taught the amazing capacity of human achievement. It is interesting to remember that almost two hundred year earlier Nichiren Daishonin had affirmed that the Lotus Sutra contained the essence of the Buddha's enlightenment and that it held the key to transform people's suffering and enable society to flourish. His teachings enable people to lead happy, empowered lives. 2

3 Accross countries and different centuries it is possible to individuate at the origin of a cultural renaissance the flourishing of a philosophical or religious movement that poses the dignity of human being at the core of the existence. According to the Italian historian Eugenio Garin the extraordinary experience of Italian Renaissance wa inspired by the humanist ideas of Pico della Mirandola, Lorenzo Valla and Giovanni Petrarca. The Secretum (My secret book) of Petrarca ("Secret Book") is best example of humanistic literature as it is in form of a dialogue. In particular he gave new value to the dialectic, the exchange of ideas and information, by comparison.

4 Recently an arab scholar George Makdisi wrote that the Islamic culture had an important influence on the emergence of humanism showing that it introduced the concept of transmission of knowledge through teaching. He believes that the Arab conquest of Southern Europe produced a positive cultural advancement. It is important to give a new interpretation of the relation between Europe and Islam, in fact lack of knowledge has a negative influence on international relations. In fact western scholars give a negative or rather partial idea of the Islamic culture because their approach is strongly influenced by the propaganda spread during the Crusades wars. 4

5 Daisaku Ikeda writes, in his recent Peace Proposal, that meeting the other causes a physical loss of reference and habits, but he adds that a crises can be an occasion to create a change. Ikeda states that the trasformation in the life of a human being can help transform the environment, as already Nichiren had explained in his religious preachment and also Pico had written in his philosophical writings. In my presentation I will compare the positive results produced by the Islamic dominion in Sicily (9-11 cent.) and the experience of artistic rebirth after the Belice earthquake (1968) in Sicily. Both experiences show that the artist creativity can harmonize the meeting with other cultures. 5

6 Meeting the Other as a physical loss causes a crises: The sudden loss of references and habits Crises are occasions to transform\create a change A radical change in the life of a Human being can help transform the environment 6

7 827 Islam in Sicily: Aghlabids from Africa in Sicily (948) end of Kalbits rule Recent discoveries reveal a material culture of this chronological period, new finds in the most recent historical and archaeological research.

8 Berbers and Arabs conquered the island and deeply interacted with the local culture. Centuries after their departure many important traces are left in the local culture: They introduce the enameled pottery and the green and yellow colours, names of tools of work and food are still the same, many cities were founded by the Arab and still keep the original structure. An endless chain of relation has been kept alive until today names of boats are written in Italian and Arabic, many manners and customs are similar. 8

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10 ON BOTH SHORES OF THE MEDITERRANEAN SEA THE RURAL WORK AND THE TOOLS OF THE PEASANTS ARE THE SAME AND ALSO THE NAMES OF THE INSTRUMENTS ARE SIMILAR CENTURIES AFTER THE ARABS LEFT SICILY. 10

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12 STORY TELLING, LIKE JUHA S ANECDOTES, FOLKLORE TALES LIKE 1001 NIGHTS, AND THE WEDDING CERIMONIES HAVE MANY ELEMENTS IN COMMON BOTH IN TUNIS AND IN SICILY 12

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14 Gibellina a modern example of cultural peaceful and constructive exchange Gibellina 68 earthquacke Ludovico Corrao s Reinassance project Art, theatre, music to build the new city The Fondazione Orestiadi a Museum and a cultural centre to keep the memory of the Mediterranean civilizations (Phoenicians Greeks, Romans, Arabs, Europeans) Dar Bach Hamba, Tunis: Activities to promote dialogues with the Artist & Intellectuals of Mediterranean area and the world.

15 I risultati raggiunti 3 - Rapporti internazionali PREMIO ICOM 2011 comunicazione e rapporto con il territorio Convenzione con Ministero Beni Culturali Tunisia e Centro Internazionale Hamamet Mostre sull Islam in Sicilia al Cairo, Beirut, Amman, Sana, Damasco, realizzate in collaborazione con il Ministero degli Esteri Mostre d arte contemporanea al Cairo, Algeri, Tunisi, Beirut Conferenze a Sana, Rabat, Damasco

16 THE FLYING CARPET WAS MADE BY THE ITALIAN GROUP OF ARTISTS STALKER AND A GROUP OF KURDS IMMIGRANTS. THE IDEA IS TO CREATE A PLACE TO REMEMBER THE PAST ISLAMIC EXPERIENCE IN SICILY & AT THE SAME TIME TO RENEW THE POSSIBILITY OF COOPERATING IN ART MAKING PROCESS. THE CARPET HAS VISITED MANY COUNTRIES FROM PAKISTAN TO QATAR, SYRIA & EGYPT

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18 THE TUNISIAN ARTIST MDJA MDAWI WAS GUEST IN SICILY FOR A WHILE AND HE HELD A LABORATORY WITH SCHOOL CHILDREN SHOWING THE ART OF ARABIC CALLIGRAPHY. SOME OF HIS PAINTINGS ARE NOW EXPOSED AT THE MUSEUM OF THE FONDAZIONE ORESTIADI AS A CONCRETE EXAMPLE OF CULTURAL DIALOGUE

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21 THE ARTIST ALIGHIERO BOETTI SPENT SOME TIME IN HIS LIFE IN AFGHANISTAN WHERE HE APPRECIATED THE ART OF WOMEN EMBROIDERY. HE COOPERATED WITH THEM PREPARING A LONG DRAWING TO BE REPRODUCED AS AN ARTCRAFT EMBROIDERY ON A SILK CARPET 21

22 I risultati raggiunti 1 - Patrimonio e relazioni L importante patrimonio d arte, attrazione culturale e turistica per la città di Gibellina, costruito intorno alla grande donazione iniziale di Ludovico Corrao che i figli hanno scelto di rispettare e proseguire Il patrimonio di rapporti internazionali e di presenza nel Mediterraneo La riconosciuta compentenza nella realizzazione di mostre e spettacoli

23 THE ARAB GEOGRAPHER AL-IDIRISI (12TH CENT.) WROTE A BOOK ON GEOGRAPHY DEDICATED TO THE NORMAN KING ROGER 2 IN SICILY. THE ARTIST GROUP STALKER PRINTED THE IMAGE OF THE ANCIENT MANUSCRIPT ON PLEXIGLASS IN ORDER TO GIVE TO THE PUBLIC THE CONCRETE FEELING OF TRAVELLING ACROSS THE WORDS IN THEIR ARTISTIC ARAB CALLIGRAPHY

24 1 - Patrimonio e relazioni Il patrimonio di arte contemporanea, unico nel Mezzogiorno d Italia Il Museo delle Trame mediterranee, con oggetti d arte e di artigianato a confronto delle due sponde La rete di consulenti ed esperti scientifici ed artistici di livello internazionale I suggestivi spazi per mostre e atelier La biblioteca e le pubblicazioni La sede di Palermo presso la Cuba

25 A BROKEN BOAT AND SOME LETTERS WRITTEN BY THE FAMILIES TO REMEMBER THE THOUSANDS IMMIGRANTS DEAD IN THE MEDITERRANEAN SEA, VICTIMS OF THE MAFIA TRADE AND THE INDIFFERENCE OF EUROPEAN CITIZENS AND GOVERNMENTS. ARTISTS INSPIRE THE PUBLIC TO THINK AND BECOME AWARE OF HUMAN TRAGEDIES IN ORDER TO AWAKEN THEIR CONSCIENCE DEFEND HUMAN DIGNITY AND OPPOSE TO INJUSTICE