“Pizza as the “eighth art”: two case histories in Milan.”
Published for the November 07, 2019 initiative by cronachedigusto.it
Today we will probably celebrate the “baptism” of food as the eighth art and first in Milan's art district par excellence, Brera in Milan.
Starting with the most popular dish, pizza, which, if we put it on an economic level, makes staggering numbers: 8 million pizzas a day, almost three billion pizzas a year, for a turnover that exceeds 15 billion euros and the employment of more than 150,000 people. Data that in Milan today, Marco Eugenio Di Giandomenico is sure to be on hand to explore the dialogue between the creative languages of contemporary art in the age of new technologies, with a focus on food (especially pizza) and music, organized by the ARD&NT Institute (Brera Academy of Fine Arts and Milan Polytechnic) and the Ethicando Association, at the former San Carpoforo Church of the Brera Academy of Fine Arts, at 14 Marco Formentini Street, in the heart of Brera, starting at 3 p.m.
Introducing Di Giandomenico, an economist and critic of the sustainability of art and culture, professor at the Brera Academy, a world-renowned art institution, right away. An indisputable imprint on food as the eighth art. And, starting with two case histories of excellence selected for the Milan event. Namely, Neapolitan pizza artist Giuseppe Maglione, owner of Daniele Gourmet in Avellino, now among the best creative expressions of culinary art, says Di Giandomenico. And, he adds, “his pizzas use the best ingredients from Irpinia, becoming a tool of territorial enhancement, as well as other products of excellence of made in Italy, acquiring an aesthetic connotation, so to speak, ‘sustainable,’ both for the beauty of the gastronomic artifacts themselves, and for the social messages (defense of women's rights, promotion of peace) that guide the chef in his creative activity.”
With pizza there can be no shortage of flour, but it has to be that produced by a historic mill, such as Molino Pasini in Mantua, represented by Gianluca Pasini, with almost a hundred years of history, which has been able to reduce the values and method of the old millers in the age of new technologies, with a wise selection of grains and other raw materials, enhancing a multi-millennial Italian artisanal heritage of the art of flour that represents one of the best expressions of Made in Italy in the world. Since we are talking about art, a musical performance fits perfectly, and a talented student of the Ard&Nt Institute's Soundart master, Mariusphere, will perform pieces using a piano “set up”-that is-with kitchen utensils inserted between the strings, producing sounds and rhythmic suggestions in creative dialogue with the art of food, the cultural leitmotif of the initiative.
Let us quickly introduce Di Giandomenico, economist and critic of the icing on the cake, the presentation of the book “The Estro del Gusto. Giuseppe Maglione, artist of sustainable pizza,” published by Apeiron Edizioni (Naples, 2019), edited by Di Giandomenico, with contributions from Gianluca Festa (Mayor of the City of Avellino), Pasquale Giuditta (former director of the Ministry of Agriculture, head of relations with UNESCO and one of the key players in the recognition of the traditional Neapolitan art of pizza-making as a world heritage site), Roberto Favaro (professor of music history and deputy director of the Brera Academy of Fine Arts), Roberto Rosso (professor of photography at the Brera Academy of Fine Arts), Filippo Cannata (lighting designer). The initiative is promoted by the communication platform Betting On Italy (BOI), which publicizes in the media artistic and cultural initiatives with the highest impact of social edification. How can we conclude? Here we eat, but culture - with a capital C - with pizza at the center.
Michele Pizzillo