Presentation by Nicola Lucchi
Exhibition from March 4 through April 17, 2020, at the Casa Italiana Zerilli-Marimò,
Propaganda:The Art of Political Indoctrination in Italy, 1902-1950
-It was hard fo pitch the exhibition as it was hard to show and expose fascism propaganda and show the visual elements without supporting the ideas
-Mussolini bust head sculpture within the exhibition was at a specific height so that the head wasn't prominent and powerful in the exhibition space. (above) (think about scale of imagery and words within my design work?)
-in exhibition put Mussolini as second focus. sometimes in totalitarian regimes they want a strong, solitary leader that can be emblematic of the entire movement such as Mussolini.
-regime made full use of Mussolinis figure and words to spread their message. sometimes shows as a puppet of the movement (corporate mascot almost)
-Luigi Bottazzi, Mostra della rivoluzione fascista, 1932 pamphlet again used the imagery of Mussolini as a powerful statement on its front cover (above) Du Ce Du Ce text in background reflects people in the crowd shouting for Mussolini
-illustrate how fascist political propaganda coopted modernist aesthetics, mass communication, marketing techniques and popular culture to manipulate society and muster support for its totalitarian endeavours
-first section of the exhibition is not about fascism, wanted people to understand that political propaganda is not the exclusive idea of totalitarian regimes (includes socialist ideas and other ideas of political communications and propaganda)
-1948 (in bread we eat) (above) looking at an initiative to promote and rebuild marketing initiate in western Europe. Breaking the bread imagery with religious undertones, Speaks to Italians on many different levels
-Xanti Schawinsky SI (yes) 1934 (above) One of the most famous pieces in the exhibition. Xanti who was swiss born worked in Germany and was part of the Bauahus, he had to escape when Hitler came to power and came to Italy to work for 2 years. He didn't like Hitler but didn't have an issue with Mussolini, The poster was for a farcical election in 1934, in which there was only one choice on the ballot, you would have to say yes. The mass rally of people forms the visual form of the jacket
Bruno Munari, (above) Cut out spaces in Literary Almanac magazine above. The magazine contained an annual commentary from intellectuals artist and authors. Munari created holes for Mussolini looking into each page (below) so Mussolini looks like he sis commentating on various events of the year (cut out spaces in my design work?)
-(above) Companies would often use imagery or idea of Mussolini to tap into peoples populist biases to sell the products. The brand above used a similar M to a previous propaganda poster (Nicholay Diulgheroff M Birra Metzger 1928)
-In fascism regime everyone had a role. Women were showed in roles of physical exercise, competition and work.
Frequently tries to use soft propaganda methods abroad targeted the USA regularly. The 1942 world fayre was supposed to happen in Rome, but didn't because of WW2.
-Some of the modern buildings planned were realised and showed the compromise between modern style and traditional roman styles with arches and in white marble.
-Italian fascism started around 1919, it enters the parliament's in 1922 and becomes a proper dictatorship in 1926
-Futurism and fascism shared many ideas at the start, founder of futurism, Marinetti and Mussolini were good friends.
-Bruno Munari was a latecomer to futurism in 1920. Supported himself through graphic design work and painting abstract art, children's books etc. Munari worked slightly in fascist regime but was a very small part of his work
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