ROVERETO (NNA) – A major retrospective on the work of Rudolf Steiner conceived by the Vitra Design Museum in Weil am Rhein, which was last year went on tour to various art galleries in Germany and to Prague, has also created waves in Italy. “Rudolf Steiner - L’alchimia del quotidiano” (Rudolf Steiner – the alchemy of every-day things) is on show from 9 February to 2 June at the MART in Rovereto, one of the best-known modern art museums in the country.

“Even the opening was a great festival, 300 people were invited to the opening including about 80 to 90 journalists,” Dr. Stefano Gasperi, general secretary of the Anthroposophical Society in Italy, told NNA.  The positive echo in the media also came as a surprise to the Anthroposophical Society: “Major articles appeared in all the important newspapers such as Repubblica or Corriere della Sera and they were all positive. rai3 broadcast a programme with curator Matteo Kries. We really did not expect that. When the media in Italy report about Steiner they tend to do so ironically,” Gasperi added

The collaboration with the MART gallery had worked very well, Gasperi said. The museum had followed the Anthroposophical Society’s suggestions regarding the accompanying programme. “That means that we now have two major events: a thematic day on the work of Rudolf Steiner and one on aesthetics. We persuaded the most important aesthetician in Italy, Gilo Dorfles, to come,“ Gasperi reported.

The accompanying programme also includes a eurythmy performance at the municipal theatre in Rovereto and an exhibition in the town library on anthroposophical literature in Italy and organic architecture. The Anthroposophical Society has also organised a programme of visits to anthroposophical institutions. On request, visitors to the exhibition can also learn about Rudolf Steiner’s work in practice at a clinic, a Waldorf school and on a biodynamic farm.

The MART museum offers schools in the region a programme which allows teachers of all classes to bring their pupils to the exhibition. Here too there was a lively interest. Four thematic modules had been developed for pupils.

The “Rudolf Steiner - L’alchimia del quotidiano” exhibition documents Steiner’s creative work using designs, models and objects, and places it in its historical context. The MART Museum in this northern Italian town has drawn the public since its opening in 2002, not least because the spectacular building was designed by the famous architect Mario Botta. The MART focuses on twentieth century art.

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Item: 130430-01EN Date: 30 April 2013

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