If we asked someone what they associate to the word art, there are various answers we could hear: sculpture, painting, music, theatre, architecture, and even dancing, literature, cinema, quality crafts. For others, art is also found in the natural landscape, the UNESCO World Heritage lists among others the following sites: the Dolomites, the delta of River Po, the botanical garden of Padova. Right, in Italy. Art and Italy, two words that are entwined. Without forgetting the beauties of other civilizations, and knowing well how much Greek culture has taught Roman culture, the Italians are known as a nation of artists, poets and navigators. The Renaissance encompassed a resurgence of learning for people, particularly through literature, painting, architecture, it was a time to make amends, to demonstrate a new lifestyle. Seventy percent of the world's beauties are found in our country and, in the sixteenth century, people came from all over Europe to Italy to accomplish the long journey, immersing in the countless works of art of big cities and small villages. This is a value of art: not locked away in museums, but enjoyed anywhere. Author Stendhal, during his long stay in Florence, felt so overwhelmed by the beauty of the art around him that he lost his senses, and from then on this psychosomatic illness became a syndrome named after him. Strange? This syndrome is particularly frequent with foreigners, Italians seem rather immune. Why? It seems that Italians are surrounded by so much works of art of such beauty that they were inoculated against it when they were little. Is that good or bad? It is our responsibility to transform this habit in talent and not disinterest. Art is all around us, it can be within us. There are numerous initiatives to foster greater knowledge about this heritage; such as the one about children being acquainted with music, and discovering the most beautiful and hidden places in the city. Art is for everyone, museums can be enjoyed by people living with vision loss and with the rule to "please touch", they are increasingly accessible. This would be beneficial not only for differently abled people, but for everyone. However, there are people who find it difficult to let themselves be involved, to go beyond the immediate reality of objects, independently of the cultural context and the familiarity with art. Every sense can, and probably should be, in empathy with art. Of course, there are in life various degrees of priority; it would be interesting to know what priority is given to art. Are we able to feel the vibrations, what it communicates to us, or do we consider the old art class a subject that is secondary or even useless?
Test: how much art is within you?
1) Life is:
a) a medieval
tournament
b) an important competition
c) a wild jungle
2) Theatre equals to:
a) boredom
b)
curiosity
c) elegance
3) You criticized a friend and he was
offended:
a) you say you are sorry
b) you tell him he
doesn't have a good sense of humour
c) you pretend that nothing
happened
4) You have no money problems and you have to
furnish your home. Going shopping:
a) interests you
b)
annoys you
c) worries you
5) A pleasant evening with company:
a) at the fast food joint then for a night out
b) in a
renowned restaurant
c) at home chatting
6) Athletes who participate in the Olympics do so
mostly for:
a) glory
b) money
c) passion for sports
7) When you hear the word “market”, you think
about:
a) business
b) boredom
c) expense
8) In a home, the entrance:
a) is the
area where we come and go
b) immediately shows the owners' style
c)
is practical to hang coats and umbrellas
9) The story that ends well:
a) is far
from reality
b) is traditional
c) makes one dream
10) Classic music equals:
a) old
stuff
b) rare objects
c) pleasure
11) Halfway through a thriller:
a) you
already know who is the killer
b) you have a few ideas who it is
c)
you are sailing in high sea
12) You have a very busy day and it is one of your
best friend's birthday:
a) you call him the day after
b)
you spoke to him yesterday
b) you found a minute to speak with him
13) Your love story did not end so well, and you
just met someone who could be interesting:
a) it is better to
remain good friends than to have a so-so romantic relationship
b) that
person will have to work hard to convince you
c) why not?
14) Haute couture is for people who
want:
a) to have quality things
b) to surprise
c) to
show off
15) When you hear the word “capital”, you think
about:
a) vice
b) treasure
c) city
SCORE
Question A B
C
| Question | A | B | C |
| 1) | 3 | 1 | 2 |
| 2) | 1 | 3 | 2 |
| 3) | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| 4) | 3 | 1 | 2 |
| 5) | 1 | 3 | 2 |
| 6) | 3 | 1 | 2 |
| 7) | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| 8) | 2 | 3 | 1 |
| 9) | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| 10) | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| 11) | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| 12) | 1 | 3 | 2 |
| 13) | 3 | 1 | 2 |
| 14) | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| 15) | 1 | 2 | 3 |
EXPLANATIONS
FROM 45 TO 36 POINTS:
MUSEUM, HOME
OF THE MUSE
You love beautiful things, you know where to find them and you enjoy them. You think that the quality of life means also spending an evening at the opera or the theatre or planning a vacation in a place where you will find art. It is easier for you to appreciate the beauty of the past, but art is to you also contemporary, leading-edge. Would you have pleasure discovering these new art forms? What emotions could you feel?
FROM 35 TO 26 POINTS:
WHAT IS
BEAUTIFUL
IS WHAT YOU LIKE
You studied art in school, you liked it even if you
thought there were far more important other subjects which you then
learned about and are part of your life now. Of course, there is so little
time and you can't do everything you would like, but since you are
inclined to it, why not take more opportunities to further your
knowledge?
FROM 25 TO 15 POINTS:
TWO
POSSIBILITIES
Either you are very practical and you think that with art one cannot eat, or you feel that your artistic talent is not understood and only your productions deserve to be known. Either way, you could try to deepen your knowledge of this multimedia sector; you would be first to feel satisfaction about it. Where do you want to begin?
