Art as a fundamental element of growth

The link between culture and social welfare is of great importance in times when art has gradually become a mass consumer good. What does it entail, then, to visit an exhibition? For Donald Sassoon, an internationally renowned British historian and writer, attending an art exhibition has several meanings: "When a person decides to visit an exhibition, he or she takes a twofold step. The first is the interest in what is exhibited. The second is the constitution of an immaterial wealth, close to what Pierre Bourdieu, French philosopher and sociologist defines as cultural capital. In this sense, the person realizes that with this approach, he or she is part of an elite, since he or she achieves something that others do not, with the consequence of feeling personal satisfaction."

Today's cities are full of cultural sites visited by huge crowds of people who want to contemplate works that have become superstars, born in what could be called the new Hollywood of art. "Just think of the Louvre and the Mona Lisa, which tourists feel obligated to see," continues Donald Sassoon. This type of work is at the heart of an extremely long and complicated process to decipher (editor's note: the author has devoted a book to it, Mona Lisa: The History of the World's Most Famous Painting), which, if I briefly summarize the main points, must include: a unique story behind it, be located in a museum in a tourist city, be strategically placed, and have been created by an artist known to the general public.

This cultural appeal can be embodied by multiple figures. In this regard, the recent media event that captivated more than four billion viewers is one of them: the funeral of Queen Elizabeth. Let's not forget, however, that the Queen is a very strong symbol, who belongs to a country with an imperial past," continues Donald Sassoon. There is a certain gratification in attending an event like this, without necessarily being in the presence of an elite." In these cases, enjoyment comes from sharing with a huge crowd and feeling part of something bigger than yourself.

Combining culture and public attendance is a principle that the president of Arthemisia (a leading player in the exhibition sector) Iole Siena has succeeded in implementing, since Arthemisia has organized 700 exhibitions that have attracted 60 million visitors over 22 years of exhibitions: "Starting from the observation that art is a fundamental element of growth, including social growth, we wanted to invent a different way of organizing exhibitions, addressing everyone, not only an educated elite. We have tried to conceive exhibitions as a form of entertainment, like cinema, an approach that was criticized in the beginning. We opted for simple language, immersive rooms, projections, audio guides. We always tried to find a balance, to tell stories and give room to the emotional aspect, remembering that an exhibition has many readings. Unfortunately, the pandemic has put a damper on this popular craze. We have not yet recovered from the Covid losses, as the number of tourists has decreased, and our costs have increased. But we are trying to stimulate the public. We're looking for more concrete topics for our art exhibitions, with contemporary art, like the one devoted to artist Jacopo Cardillo aka Jago, which had 140,000 visitors." Beyond the pandemic, Iole Siena recounts how public tastes have changed over the years: "The masterpiece alone is no longer enough, people want to understand, learn, hear stories, get excited. But finding funds is becoming increasingly complicated, in a country like Italy, where little importance is placed on culture."

For the president of Arthemisia, art has a great influence on people's lives: "It has the power to generate well-being, benefits supported by scientific studies. We saw this during the pandemic. People signed up in large numbers to attend our online tours via zoom. And we are also seeing these same effects in hospitals, with patients." In 2022, Arthemisia will organize more than twenty exhibitions, a number that is still less than half that of the pre-Covid period, but there is no lack of satisfaction: "We have succeeded in opening and transforming historically important spaces, such as the Palazzo Bonaparte in Rome, into exhibition spaces; a formula that we are replicating in other cities, because it contributes to reinforcing the identity of a place. The key to success lies in the idea that the visitor should feel valued at the center of the exhibition."

For art historian Giacomo Montanari: "Culture is also about knowing the territory and the relationships that have developed over time. It is the starting point for becoming responsible citizens and for acting in favor of cultural policies such as landscape protection." As for the exhibitions, the historian adds that they are transitory events. "I think it's important to build a permanent global cultural landscape, which also includes very simple services. In London, at the Victoria & Albert Museum, for example, families go to see an exhibition, but they can also simply enjoy the garden. It is important to think of the city as a cultural hub. Churches, museums, palaces should be seen as shared, accessible spaces of culture, not to be worshipped, but to be used as tools to redevelop the urban area in a positive way. The first requirement for the well-being of a city is the cultural good. I think it is fundamental to value territory, to allow people to rediscover the identity of locations through the artwork."