Making Art in Our Time | VISIONS IN DIALOGUE | The Crowd

Organized by the Association “Fare arte nel nostro tempo / Making art in our time” second day in the series of meetings VISIONS IN DIALOGUE THE CROWD Demographic growth in some areas of the world, stagnation in others, material and immaterial crowds… Saturday, April 12, 2014 11 am – 5 pm   Auditorio Università della Svizzera Italiana (USI) Via Giuseppe Buffi 13 Lugano, Switzerland The Association “Fare arte nel nostro tempo / Making art in our time” presents the second day in a series of meetings on VISIONS IN DIALOGUE on the theme “THE CROWD” in the Auditorio of the Università della Svizzera Italiana in Lugano. Jacques Lévy, expert geographer on the theory of space in the city and in society, will introduce the theme for the day, Michele Parrinello, expert physicist in molecular dynamics, Hou Hanru, art historian and curator, director of the MAXXI Museum in Rome, Du Zhenjun, artist, Marco Müller, artistic director of film festivals, producer and teacher and Elena Volpato, art historian and curator will intervene and confront the various aesthetic, artistic and scientific points of view on the theme of the crowd. After a welcoming speech given by Hon. Giovanna Masoni Brenni, Deputy Mayor and Department Head for Cultural Affairs in the City of Lugano, the meeting will be introduced by Marco Franciolli, director of the Museo Cantonale d’Arte and the Museo d’Arte in Lugano.   Actual developments tend to increase the anonymous crowds of urbanisation, consumption, free-time, the immaterial crowds of globalisation and of the new means of communication – says Cristina Bettelini, president of the association. The multitude creates homogeneity but also boundaries, the movement of populations and migration reinforce the bonds of belonging and being excluded, subjectively the idea of multitudes can imply force and collective identification but also anonymity and annihilation.   “Fare arte nel nostro tempo - Making art in our time” is a private, independent, non-profit association established in 2012. The series VISIONS IN DIALOGUE, created by the Association in collaboration with the Museo Cantonale d’Arte and the Museo d’Arte, Lugano, proposes a bi-annual series of day-long meetings open to the public during which participants may reflect on some aspects of the visual arts and living in today’s world from the viewpoint of protagonists and experts from various disciplines. The main thread for the conferences are themes regarding art and identity, art and culture, art and method: a History of Art specialist, an artist, a philosopher or sociologist and a scientist are invited to confront the theme of the day along interdisciplinary lines. A little contribution to the adventure of knowledge on current and universal themes that offers the chance for diverse and opposing interpretations as well as meeting points, on the premise that complexity is not only in things but also includes the point of view of those who observe them.  The next meeting on THE RELATIONSHIP OBSERVER / OBSERVED will take place in autumn 2014 and HOW TO INTERPRET TIME in spring 2015. The participation of the speakers on video, their biographies, brief interviews and other information on the chosen themes and relating to the programmes are available on associazione-nel.ch Entrance is free until all available seats are taken: to assist us with the organisation of the conference, please confirm your participation at partecipate@associazione-nel.ch With contributions from:                                                     In collaboration with: Museo Cantonale d’Arte and Museo d’Arte, Lugano. Partner Associations: Pro Museo associazione degli Amici del Museo Cantonale d’Arte, Società Ticinese Di Belle Arti, L’Ideatorio Università della Svizzera Italiana, Chiassoletteraria. Fare arte nel nostro tempo/ Making art in our time Corte dei Brilli 1 - CH 6944 Cureglia   info@associazione-nel.ch www.associazione-nel.ch