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Last posts

Valentine’s Day in Rome

Mónica Boixeda Only-Be, Roman

When Federico Moccia published his acclaimed novel I Want You (Ho voglia di) in 2006, the reigns of the tradition of legendary bridge Milvio were handed over. After holding the weight of a quaint 2000 year old history, there arrived a new Roman ritual that spread like wildfire to cities all around the world, proving that bad taste knows no barriers. On Valentines Day, lovers place a padlock engraved with their initials around a streetlamp on the bridge, and passionately throw the keys into the river. The poor Milvio bridge, where it all started, has not only had to endure this humiliation, but, (and it seems unbelievable that this could happen in Italy of all places) its aesthetic harmony was further insulted when the mayor of Rome ordered that new steel columns be placed on the bridge, so that Moccia’s fans could continue their rites hitch-free. It seems incredible to me that the digital, Facebook generation might not see reasoning behind only being allowed to carry out this padlock ritual online, virtually. In spite of all this, Rome remains an ideal city in which to spend Valentines Day. Love is true, so the theory goes, if we see the name in the mirror – but, according to the ancient tradition, it must remain a secret. Revealing the name was once forbidden with the penalty of death, when in 82 BC poet and tribune Valerio Sorano was crucified for the monstrous crime of uttering the name in public and bringing a series of catastrophes upon the city. Though known that this phenomenon occurred with true love – the secret name revealed... read more

Terre vulnerabili – vulnerable land in Milan

Mónica Boixeda Milanese, Only-Be

On October 21 the exhibition “Terre vulnerabili (vulnerable land) opened in the center Hangar Bicocca in Milan, which is part of a four-sample exhibition project, which will take place until May 29, 2011. To explore closely the growth of a living organism, each of these exhibitions is devoted to a stage in the life of an organism. This way the project seeks to recognize the concept of vulnerability not only in physical-biological terms, but also in moral terms. Vulnerability seen as the unusual ability to empathize and to enable all people to recognize and accept their moral responsibility towards others, the community and the environment. Thus, the project is understood as a work in progress, developing over time, an organism that grows in front of the public eye. This way, it also intends to develop new discourses and modes of action with respect to the vulnerability of land, especially focusing on its political and ethical dimensions. In that sense, this project encourages reflection and notions of responsibility, like hope, utopia and feasibility of a sustainable future. With the participation of 30 Italian and international artists and the same number of works, it will explore the possible future, which certainly promises something better than this. But the exhibition not only explores the vulnerability of the land itself, but also our bodies, adding a more personal property to the project theme. The dilution of borders and ethnic groups, the mixture of languages, bring out this vulnerability. More info: http://www.hangarbicocca.it/page/exhibition/516 Heloise Battista The latest series of exhibitions will end on May 29, 2011. For all those curious and lovers of art and... read more

Love and Istanbul

Mónica Boixeda Istanbulite, Only-Be

Towards the end of the anti romantic comedy 500 Days of Summer (2009) by Marc Webb, Tom the protagonist of the story played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt holds a chaotic speech at the advertising company that he works for which specialized in greeting cards for all occasions right before he quits. In this speech he declares that he is incapable of writing something for a Valentine’s Day card because he doesn’t believe in love anymore. The reason for this defection is the discovery of the huge lie behind this concept, heavily imposed by movies, books and songs forming this belief of true love, a love whose kindness lasts a lifetime based on the existence of the perfect partner for every individual. To find this person is the key to happiness. When Tom thinks to realize that this idea is false he feels like a kid who just discovered Santa doesn’t exist. However, this illusion is falsely blamed on these movies, books and songs. In reality this idea has its eccentric Greek origin in the mouth of Aristophanes in the Symposium by Plato. Zeus punished the initial androgynous by parting them with his flash leaving us all doomed to walk the earth looking for the other half that we are missing. Although this myth has not completely diminished in our minds it is far from being an essential element in the western idea of love. Which is probably to be found in Love in the Western World by Denis de Rougemont, in Tristan und Isolde and the provencal poetry of the 12th century in general that not only links love and... read more