Interview with Paolo Sabbatini

There has never been an event comparable to this in terms of the way all of the components in the Italian “system” have come together to make such a concerted effort: government institutions, local bodies, private foundations and even major companies like Terna are all making a contribution to presenting Italy with great style, as a multi-faceted yet coherent mosaic. The Italian Pavilion is a treasure chest and a showcase in which the very best in our culture is exhibited in a practical, effective way. It features time-honoured art through the works of Canaletto and other Old Masters; contemporary art through the works of Consagra, Pomodoro and Burri; and the very best in design and the typical aspects of the Italian lifestyle. The Italian Cultural Institute is participating in this work in progress as a sounding board, as a driving force for our universities and our world of academia, and as a bridge with China’s artists and its communication industry. 

 

The “continent of China” encompasses myriad different realities. I would not talk about Shanghai being an “island of opportunity” because, in actual fact, this entire country is, today, a “land of opportunity”: this is demonstrated by China's assertiveness on the international stage and, in the artistic field, by its tendency to be “daring”, which, for us in the West, is something we have become rather blasé about. You just need to take a look at the immense scale of their architecture to realise that the Chinese are looking to the present and the future with a sense of positivity and confidence. Shanghai is certainly one of China’s creative hubs, but we should also bear in mind the extraordinary dynamism of the capital Beijing, of Canton and of Chengdu, which is located in the centre of the country and is a breeding ground for cutting-edge talent. I consider myself immensely fortunate to be dealing with culture in the place that has rightfully been selected as the venue for the 2010 Expo.

 

The Shanghai branch of the Italian Cultural Institute was formally established on my arrival, on the 1st of February 2007, as part of a process that was initiated a number of years previously by the Cultural Office of the Consulate General of Italy. In close collaboration with Italy’s main cultural institute in China (in Beijing), and in line with the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs' strategies for the popularisation of Italy’s language and culture, co-ordinated by the Italian Embassy in China, I have been able to implement a highly articulated programme that has had an unprecedented impact in the area for which I am responsible. We are talking about an extensive, heterogeneous area that includes, alongside Shanghai, the province of Zhejiang (where almost all of the Chinese immigrants in Italy hail from), the province of Jiangsu, the capital of which is Nanjing, and the province of Anhui. Thus far, we have clocked up more than a thousand events, including concerts, art exhibitions, conferences, symposiums, celebrations and commemorations of great Italians. We have developed a network of very loyal Chinese friends who ensure that our events are well-attended and who give us a higher profile than any of the other foreign cultural institutes based in the area.

 

The selection of exhibitions and artists occurs across various levels. First and foremost, there are the shows promoted by Italian bodies (the Ministry of Culture, the Institute of Foreign Trade, Local Institutions, etc.) such as the Terna-IGAV exhibition. In cases of this sort, the Institute deals with negotiations with our Chinese counterparts, with logistics and with advertising. We provide our input wherever it is necessary, not only by offering ideas on the choice of artists but also by respecting the sensitivities and highlighting the strengths of the context, with a view to delivering the greatest possible impact. Alongside these activities, the Italian Cultural Institute in Shanghai also works with individual Italian artists, curators and gallery owners in their endeavours to penetrate China, leveraging the excellent relationships we have put in place with our Chinese counterparts over the course of many years of successful events. Moreover, in what was very much a one-off in the history of Shanghai, I was appointed as an Advisor on the Arts for the Municipality of Shanghai-Jing An: this is a great honour, because it’s only very rarely indeed that the Chinese are prepared to put their trust in outsiders.

 

My dream would be to infuse the Chinese public with the notion that Italian contemporary art is the direct descendant of that “cult of beauty” that has always marked out our tradition.