The famed architect Gae Aulenti was commissioned by the Region of Campania to create a memorable installation for the Campanian pavilion at Vinitaly. Italy wouldn't be Italy without a lot of pissing and moaning about the money spent (2 million euros) and the work's aesthetic deficiencies, which are oft conflated with soci-economic considerations that may or may not be valid.
(NB: Dear Italians, I am paying for an odious war, to the tune of hundreds of billions of dollars. Perspective...)
The hotbed of criticism is on Franco Ziliani's blog Vino al Vino.
I may be a dumbass American, but the photos make the thing look startling, memorable and worth talking about. I also think it created a bang-up image for Campania's wines -- up-to-date and "conceptual," right in line with the ascent of those wines to top-class levels of quality. Yet, ahem, rooted in tradition with the reprise of native grape varieties.
I say, Bravo Campania!
Looks pretty cool.
Posted by: Fredric Koeppel | April 07, 2007 at 07:05 PM
It is. Very impressive when you're under it, looking up, because it's quite big. So Domenico told me.
Posted by: Terry Hughes | April 07, 2007 at 08:32 PM
Terry,
2 millions is a huge amount of money, but keep in mind that in Italy, when bills are paid by state, regions, municipalities, they tend to rise drammatically.
ciao
alex
Posted by: alex | April 08, 2007 at 06:14 AM