Still a few days for Francesca Woodman’s Photography in Siena

You will have still a few days to visit Francesca Woodman’s exhibition at Sms Contemporanea, the contemporary art center of Santa Maria della Scala Museum in Siena.

In fact, the exhibition, which is under way since last September, will end on 10^th January 2010, and until then visitors will have the chance to marvel at 114 pictures, among which there are some unpublished pieces. So, if you intend to give a look at it in these days, we would like to give you a short introduction to the artist.

She was born in 1958, daughter of the artists Betty and George Woodman, and she began to work in the field of photography when she was just 13 years old, when she created her first self-portrait. Later on, the artist kept on taking pictures of herself in domestic settings, in the nature, alone or with friends, during actions and planned performances. Francesca committed suicide in January 1981, at the age of just 22 years old.

The artist’s creations focus on the relation (more…)

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Celebrate this New Year’s Eve in Italy!

Where are you gonna spend this New Year’s Eve?

In the Belpaese, you will be spoilt for choice! We would like to remind all our visitors the best events and parties organized in the most beautiful Italian cities, where you will find great celebrations, fireworks, music at full volume, dances and delicious wine and food.

The cosmopolitan city of Turin, in the region of Piedmont, in 2010 will be elected “European Capital of Youth”. In order to show such a merit, the young city of Turin for the New Year’s Eve 2010 organizes a special evening with loud music, a concert which will take place in Piazza Vittorio Veneto from 9.30 pm, an event dedicated to people under 35! The absolute protagonists of the night will be the famous English group Groove Armada and the American group Juliette Lewis and New Romantics, followed by many other artists until midnight, when it will be time for spectacular fireworks.

In Milan on the other hand, (more…)

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It’s Time for Christmas Markets 2009 in the charming Italy!

Hey folks, the moment has come!

With no doubts people love and hate them, but the season of Christmas markets has come and it will be in all the Italian cities!

Colored lights, stands full of sweets, traditions and handicrafts products, toys and decorations will be placed along the streets and in the most famous (and not) squares in Italy. So, get ready to snoop around, nibbling and why not, to purchase the first Christmas gifts!

From Sicily to Valle d’Aosta, Italy in this period is full of such nice markets which welcome many Italians and foreign visitors, who come here to just take a look at the stalls rich of curious and original things. The list is endless, but we want to remind you the most unique noteworthy ones.

So…how not to mention the very famous Christams markets typical of (more…)

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“Tuscany Feast” 2009. When the past teaches the progress

Tuscany can boast of several records, especially one: this region was the first in the world to abolish the capital punishment. In fact on November 30^th 1796, the enlightened Grand Duke Pietro Leopoldo banished confiscation, torture and death penalty through a single law.

Since 2001, Tuscany has been celebrating this historical occurrence with an official feast, which even schedules a holiday for the schools of the ancient Grand Duchy and a program rich of events spread on all the regional area.

This initiative aims not only to remind and celebrate a defining moment of modern history, but in particular to reflect on the present and the future of the whole mankind. It’s important to notice, in fact, that the capital punishment is still applied in many countries in the world, and that Italian State is fighting for its abolition with an international moratorium at UN.

Hence this topic is a living matter, together with other related issues as democracy, peace, equality and justice all over the world.

Tuscany Feast so deals with values which are not only strictly related to death penalty, but also to other current problems, such as dialogue among different cultures and inclusion, sexual equality and deaths on-the-job. For this reason, during the event, congresses, lectures and official meetings are scheduled, to which (more…)

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European Heritage Days 2009. A Fully Cultural Weekend !

No plans for the weekend?

Well, if your answer is “no”, then we’ll suggest you something unique to do.

This weekend in fact, on Saturday 26^th and Sunday 27^th September 2009, there will be a fully cultural event: as usual, also this year all the European countries will celebrate the European Heritage Days, which were conceived in 1991 by the European Council in order to encourage and promote the cultural dialogue and exchange between European countries.

As every year, MiBAC participates in the event with the slogan “Italy, the treasure of Europe” and organizes throughout Italy several initiatives intended to increase the value of Italian culture and heritage, with the aim to share all this great richness with other European countries.

In fact, throughout the country, many events and activities will take place in order to increase the national heritage value: over 1000 sites will be open to the public with free entrance, extraordinary openings, art exhibitions, concerts, shows and (more…)

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On August 16th, the famous Horse-Race in Siena: “Palio dell’Assunta”

The renowned Palio dell’Assunta will come back in Siena on August 16^th, and as usual, it will take place in the picturesque and stunning Piazza del Campo.

It’s a very ancient competition between the city wards, which dates back to Middle Ages and from time immemorial draws the attention of tourists from all over the world.

The feast lasts 4 days, during which visitors will have the chance to watch the meticulous preparation of the race. The morning of August 13^th for example, is a symbolic date during which the so-called “Tratta” takes place, that is the assigning of the horses to each contrada. (more…)

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Ready, Steady…Go!!! Palio di Siena Starts Again

The countdown is finally over: in Siena, everything is ready for the famous Palio di Provenzano, the yearly horse-race which will be held in Piazza del Campo on Thursday 2^nd July.

But we remind you that from today on, preparations have started in order to offer a lot of initiatives and events which will take place in the days preceding the race.

In fact this morning, horses will be drawn in order to assign one of them to each of the seventeen contrades of the city, which on next Thursday will challenge in Piazza del Campo.

Three laps around the picturesque square in a well-groomed and marked race course which reveals (more…)

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An Exhibition in Siena for the Rediscovery of the Forgotten Crucifix of Benedetto da Maiano

Until 21^st June San Gimignano, placed in the province of the wonderful city of Siena, will be the protagonist of a very particular exhibition entitled “Benedetto da Maiano in San Gimignano, the rediscovery of a forgotten crucifix”.

On the occasion of this event, the beautiful wooden polychrome crucifix will be publicly put on display, a work attributed to the Florentine artist Benedetto da Maiano, sculptor belonging to the Renaissance who has always showed his interest in the human body’s shapes and proportions. And this beautiful crucifix is the proof.

It is not only a religious symbol, (more…)

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“Museums at Night” on Saturday 16th May

“Museums at Night” is a really interesting initiative funded by the Ministry of Cultural Activities and Heritage, which will take place on Saturday 16^th May and will allow a late night opening of all national museums.

Museums at Night is an event expressly created for anyone who doesn’t have the chance to dedicate time to cultural interests and to visit the amazing exhibitions in the Italian museums during the ordinary opening hours. So, as culture belongs to everyone, the Ministry of Cultural Activities and Heritage decided to support this initiative to allow all the people who for reasons relating to work or economy, don’t have the chance to visit the extraordinary heritage hosted by our museums.

In fact, the night of Saturday 16^th May, all the national museums which will support the initiative, will stay open until 2.00 AM for free (entry allowed until 1.00 AM).

Together with the museums’ visits, there will be also a long series of other events, to encourage citizens to take part to this event.

Actually, this original initiative has its roots in 2005, in (more…)

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A Week in the pursuit of Culture

As every year, the extraordinary initiative organized by the Department of Cultural Heritage is come back for promoting the Italian culture: the 11^th Week of Culture.

In fact, in all the Italian cities from April 18^th to 26^th, museums, archaeological excavations, churches and monuments will open their doors to visitors, so that for a whole week the spaces of culture will have no metes and bounds.

Tourists, schools children and simple citizens who can’t wait to enjoy a couple of days in the interests of culture, will be the protagonists of this project, and the most important and beautiful places of our country’s culture will be invaded.

In fact, the slogan (more…)

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