"一口气,从雅典横渡到北京/让每一个人都拥有世界级的竞技舞台。/中国网通,以先进的宽带技术,构建通达世界的通信网络,全力支持北京2008年奥运会。/中国网 宽天下"
(中国网通形象广告)

"In one breath, from Athens to Beijing/Let everyone have a global competition stage./China Unicom, thanks to an advanced broadband technology, creates a world communication network, and fully supports Beijing 2008 Olympics./China network broadens the Tianxia"
(China Unicom corporate advertisement)

"In un respiro, da Atene a Pechino/In modo che tutti possano stare su un palcoscenico mondiale./China Unicom, grazie ad un'avanzata tecnologia broadband, crea una rete di comunicazione globale e supporta le Olimpiadi di Pechino 2008./China Unicom amplia il Tianxia"
(pubblicità corporate di China Unicom)

2011-11-12

CONFERENCE ANNOUNCEMENT: PAROLE, SUONI, IMMAGINI DELLA PUBBLICITA' CINESE

Questo periodo si profila ricco di appuntamenti sulla pubblicità cinese...condivido qui un altro evento, che avrà luogo giovedì 17 novembre, nella sede Ca' Foscari di Treviso. Tutti gli interessati possono partecipare:

2011-11-08

CONFERENCE ANNOUNCEMENT: CHINESENESS AND GLOBALIZATION IN CONTEMPORARY CHINA

Nell'ambito di SHAVE - Visions of Shanghai sono lieta di annunciare la seguente conferenza che si terrà questo venerdì in Auditorium Santa Margherita:


Accorrete numerosi!

2011-09-19

"Il mercante e il dragone"

“Il Mercante e il Dragone: strategie di business e di marketing per le imprese venete in Cina”. Ecco qui il programma delle varie giornate:


2011-08-12

OMG - where are we going?

I was watching the national news on Italian television yesterday and I was shocked when I discovered that nobody mentioned the famine in the Horn of Africa. In the morning I called the Ministero degli Affari Esteri in order to ask whether there was a hot line for those who want to donate some money or send some food or basic stuff to the people in need there. They told me no (they seemed really surprised I called to ask such a "stupid" question!), but assured me that the Italian television was going to air some PSAs on this topic. Up to now, they haven't been aired yet and I wonder what they are waiting for...if they keep waiting is going to be too late!
For those who want to donate and help relieving this terrible famine, I found these two websites and would like to share them with you:

http://www.wfp.org
http//www.agire.it

Just one American dollar can help the lives of four children, and I think every little can help, in this moment. Also sharing videos on facebook and banners can help in the mobilization process (see http://www.wfp.org/stories/horn-africa-10-ways-you-can-help)

I guess yesterday I was really fighting and nervous. Unexpectedly, my day started in a very quiet way, with a view of the Olympic PSAs that were broadcast in China just before the Beijing 2008 Olympics...to my astonishment, I discovered that many PSAs were about saving resources. And this was good.

What is not good is that it seems they didn't work at all, even though they were produced and aired just a couple of years ago. During my last stay in Beijing I discovered the air conditioning was always set at 18 degrees, no matter if I found myself in a restaurant, in the lobby of my dorm, or in the tube. It was freezing inside public spaces, while outside it was really hot. I became very fussy about this and I kept complaining, saying that it was actually a waste and resources can come to an end. Moreover, too much air conditioning is no good for your health. They didn't seem to care that much. This attitude made me mad. I'm not saying that Italy is better: on the contrary, we don't get as many PSAs as they do there, and I think it is really a waste to produce and air PSAs without finding a way to make them useful through the years.

And the second thing that made me mad yesterday is the following: why when I check my mail I always bump into commercial banners? Or news about Pippa Middleton? Why websites of important newspapers or search engines cannot help in giving visibility to the famine in the Horn of Africa that is taking place, NOW? Why nobody seems to care? Why do I need to bump into this kind of banner:


and not this one?


Why do people prefer to spend their time reading gossip about VIP instead of helping someone in need? There is nothing to OMG about it. I think media are not taking up their responsability, and if I think of MTV programs such as TEEN CRIBS and PARIS HILTON DUBAI BFF I become even madder! Sorry, but I couldn't keep it anymore! And what we should OMG about is that by deleting some countries from our knowledge of the world is making everything worse, because we are going nowhere. And possibly this economic crisis should make us think about an alternative solution, that is sustainable for the majority, not the minority of countries. I know, I am a dreamer...

2011-08-04

HOT! Pics from the DA VINCI store in BEIJING and MORE!

While the big fuss about the "Da Vinci case” was spreading in the Chinese media and before my post for the website Cineresie was published, I decided to go and have a look at the big store in Jianguomen (actually, it is more of a showroom, as it occupies 8,000 square metres). I went there on a Saturday morning, on July 16th.

I got to know that the shop moved next to the Friendship store (友谊商店) in 2006: this is a significant change, as the Friendship store, founded in 1964, has been the first and only store selling exclusively to foreigners and foreign goods in China (its status has changed over the years, as it now sells also to Chinese people and mainly sells Chinese goods...  this is really interesting: if, in the past, it could have warrant a foreign origins of goods and a sense of internationalisation, what could it guarantee now?).

 
1. View from the Da Vinci store (Friendship Store is on the right)

As I entered, some workers of the shop welcomed me and even though I made clear that I just wanted to have a look around, they literally excorted me around the store, as if they were bodyguards. I was not allowed to take pictures - of course, I asked for the permission! - but I was so bad as to take two, which I am happy to share with you in this post. Personally, I didn’t like the furniture they sell – too kitsch and cumbersome – and I kept wondering:
- who can afford to buy this "Western stuff" here in Beijing?
- who can fit such huge beds and sofas in a normal house here in Beijing?
I guess my worries are the reasons that make the majority of foreign enterpreneurs happy: China has rich people! Chinese people buy luxury goods! Oh yeah. I'm sorry, but I'm very skeptical about this semplicistic view.... anyway, my "tour guide" told me that people buy them, so no need to worry (at least for the foreign business people!). There was a third question going through my head, among others that I cannot share with you: would this kind of furniture sell in Italy or in any other country? Have a look here:

2. A luxury bed exposed in the Da Vinci store

The atmosphere in the shop was tense and, apart from me, there was only a couple of young Chinese (were they journalists???) Obviously, I didn't ask anything about the scandal, but I noticed that the labels of Italian furniture were simply saying "MADE IN ITL" (does it stand for "ITALY"?) and that the pieces of furniture of Ms. Tang (see the first post on the Da Vinci case) were not on sale anymore. I saw one piece of furniture of the same Italian brand Ms. Tang bought, and I thought it was very weird that the two doors of the wine cupboard opened both from the right to the left, which is pretty uncommon and surely not very practical.
Unfortunately, I was able to take just another picture in the only place where they didn't follow me: yes, the toilet!

3. A shot of the impressive luxury toilet in the Da Vinci store

The Da Vinci store in Beijing doesn't only sell furniture, but also ornaments, fabrics and jewelry. Later on, I found out that Ms. Phuan, beside holding a PhD. (the specialty, though, is never mentioned), is also a very creative woman and has her own line of jewelry. I selected here some of her most significant creations, all the pictures come from the website: http://www.dorisvinci.com/

4. "Renzo" 

"Renzo" is a casual example from the watches series, which boasts also other models, namely: Ilario, Iniga, Vitus, Viviana and Phaedra.

5. Doris

"Doris" is a piece of the Jewely series, which comprehends also other pieces, namely: Eterna, Fiore, La perla, Quadrato, Vertigo and Rossa.

6. Ellenico

"Ellenico" is a ring of the New Collection, that consists also of other pieces, namely: Merletto, Eternità, Polvere di stelle, Innamorato and Margherita.

It seems Italy and Italian names played a crucial role in the life of Doris Phua. In case you want to purchase Dr. Phua's jewelry but you don't happen to be in Beijing, China, or Asia, and find yourself in Italy instead, you still can go and check her store in Italy. As advertised on the website, the first store on the store locator section is in Italy, precisely in Como, "PLZZA SAN FEDELE NO. 5". 

7. Doris Vinci's store in Italy

LAST UPDATE: I just discovered that there is also an Italian website: http://www.dorisvinci.it, which advertises a second Doris Vinci store in Via Montesolaro 14/B, Cantù. I hope the collections sold in Italy don't have the blatantly Italian names of the ones that are sold in China and in Asia!

2011-07-24

The “Da Vinci case” and “Made in Italy” in China: how many mysteries still out there?

(The original version of this post was published on July 21, 2011, in Italian, at the following link: http://www.cineresie.info/il-“caso-da-vinci”-e-il-“made-in-italy”-in-cina-quanti-misteri-ancora-da-svelare/)


July 10, 2011, 12:25. The program Weekly Report on Quality (Meizhou zhiliang baogao 每周), broadcast by CCTV 13, dedicates a whole episode to a scandal that, in the blink of an eye, involves of the biggest retailer of luxury furniture in Asia: Da Vinci Furniture Ltd. Founded in 1978 by the Singaporean Doris and Tony Phua, throughout the years the company specialized in the distribution of “international furniture superbrands” (guoji chaoji jiaju pinpai 家居品牌) many of which, as proudly stated on the official website of Da Vinci China, are Italian: Armani Casa, Versace Home, Fendi Casa, Kenzo Maison, etc.
The episode – evocatively titled “The Da Vinci Code” (Dafenqi “jiema” 芬奇”) – described the story of Mrs. Tang who had spent 2.8 million yuan to buy a set of luxury furniture in the Da Vinci shop in Beijing, and later realized that the measures were not the same ones specified in the order, and that there was a strong smell of paint in her living room. Therefore, she went to the shop in order to receive some explainations, but she was told that the furniture she had bought, the majority of which was produced by the Italian company Cappelletti S.r.L., were entirely produced in Italy, with natural and high-quality materials, as guaranteed by the attached certification label 100% Made in Italy. This answer, though, didn’t satisfy Mrs. Tang who, thanks to her determination, gave birth to a real investigation.
The results of the researches carried out by CCTV for more than six months showed that Mrs. Tang had all the reasons to be doubtful. Da Vinci really commissioned the production of furniture similar to that of international companies to two Chinese companies: the Shenzhen Gold Phoenix Furniture International Group and the Dongguan Changfeng Furniture Co., Ltd., both based in Guangdong. The CCTV cameras showed double beds apparently identical to those exhibited in the Da Vinci showrooms, as well as other pieces of furniture very similar to those bought by Mrs. Tang branded Cappelletti. As observed by the journalist of CCTV, the difference from a Cappelletti double bed “Made in Italy” and one “Made in Italy Made in China” was hard to spot, but the price difference – once one had saw the production phases and the low quality materials used for the Chinese version – was easy to guess: 300 thousand yuan against 30 thousand yuan. The furniture produced by Changfeng resulted to be “out of norm” (bu hege 不合格) after the checks from the Chinese authorities.
The general manager of Changfeng, Peng Jie, confirmed that in 2006 his company started to produce furniture for Da Vinci, in particular models similar to those of the Cappelletti, Hollywood and Riva brands, reaching a value of more than 50 million yuan in 2010. This “high level” furniture were shipped from the Shenzhen harbour to Italy and then returned to China via Shanghai harbour. According the version provided by CCTV, Da Vinci was particularly careful in producing and handling the required documents, as – right in these years – it was getting ready to enter the stock exchange market. A milestone that today seems almost impossible to hit.
Right in Da Vinci’s face – “Monnalisa” Cry
July 13, 15:00. After three days of mediatic storm, Doris Phua, founder and CEO of Da Vinci, shows up at a press conference organized last minute and conducted by the vice general manager of the company, Huang Zhixin. Behind there, sitting in front of an array of journalists, there are the delegates of more or less twenty companies, the majority Italian and a few American, whose brands had been able to enter the Chinese market only thanks to Da Vinci’s mediation.
Once she reaffirmed that the luxury furniture she sells are 100% “Made in Italy”, Doris Phua passed the microphone to three Italian enterpreneurs, respectively: Antonio Munafò (CEO, Jumbo), Tino Cappelletti (CEO, Cappelletti S.r.L.) and Stefano Vagelli (general manager, Riva). As already revealed in an interview with Agi China 24, the Italian enterpreneurs first of all defended the italianicity of their “Made in Italy”,  but also showed their support to Da Vinci, and guaranteed that in many years they never had any problem and they trust their Chinese retailer; moreover, they expressed the opinion that the fraud as depicted by CCTV was really difficult, if not impossible, to committ.
Following, Doris Phua confirmed she had commercial contacts with Gold Phoenix and Changfeng, but avoided to give too many details. Then the press conference took the dimensions of a real tv show: a consumer on spot started to shout at the Da Vinci CEO, asking her to dismiss – or confirm – the truth of the facts as reported by the national television; an accident that lead Doris Phua to tell stories that had nothing to do with the press conference and, last but not least, made her burst into tears. In the middle of such a confusion, the poor journalists weren’t even allowed to have some time to ask questions, if not privately.
After the press conference, the “Da Vinci case” became a real media torment, capable of gaining some space not only on television, newspapers, magazines and online forums, but also on microblogs, whose authors deformed the most visual elements of the case in a very creative way, giving birth to many ironic “parodies” (egao ), like this one starring Doris Phua:


Some netizens, both Chinese and foreigner, also asked themselves whether those foreigners (amorously called laowai 老外 or yangren 洋人) who attended the press conference were really Italian enterpreneurs or actors who had been paid to provide the self-defence process of the Da Vinci CEO with a minimum amount of credibility.

The Show Must Go On – The Da Vinci “Code” Da Vinci (2)

July 17, 12:25. Exactly one week after the “Da Vinci case” began, another episode of the program Weekly Report on Quality is broadcast: The Da Vinci “Code” 2. This new episode concentrates on the control activities carried out by the State Administration for Industry and Commerce (SAIC) of Shanghai, that started right after the broadcast of the previous episode. The most revelant features are the discovering of Da Vinci’s “three capital sins” (san zongzui 三宗罪), that is to say: 1. misleading promotion; 2. lack of  quality standards of some products; 3. lack of indicating the country of origin and materials of some products.
From the results of the spot checks, it emerged that eleven stocks of furniture were produced in China and all went through the so-called “one-day journey” (yiri you 一日游): they were shipped from the Chinese cities of Haining and Ningbo and, very quickly, entered China via the free trade zone of Shanghai, acquiring – without any merit – the status of “original imported goods” (yuanzhuang jinkou 原装).
During the episode, the name of another famous Italian furniture company was pronounced: Poltrona Frau. The journalist from CCTV tells how, during the press conference held on July 13, a spokeperson of the Italian company stood up and announced that his company never dealt with Da Vinci. His position was later confirmed thanks to a live telephone call with the flagship store general manager in Asia (his name, though, was not revealed). Actually, Da Vinci presents itself as the ufficial retailer of Poltrona Frau brand, as testified by some previous articles online, the two companies in October 2010 actually signed an agreement, welcomed with drums and trumpets by the Italian media. The mystery becomes more hard to solve.
According to the famous lawyer Qiu Baochang, Da Vinci went against the “Law on Protection of Rights and Interests of Consumers”, the “Product Quality Law” and the “Advertising Law” of the People’s Republic of China, but could even be sanctionable according to the Penal Code, through reclusion, detention, pecuniary sanction and/or expropriation of goods. This is no joke.
The “Da Vinci case” and some reflections on “Made in Italy” in China…

Today, the “Da Vinci Case” has not been solved, on the contrary: who knows how many mysteries are still out there. While in Italy someone referred to a “furniture war between Italy and China” and someone else expressed a sense of victimism towards this “Chinese-style fraud”, here in China a strong debate is going on on how the country can get rid, once for all, of the stereotype  “Made in China” = “low price, low quality” (lianjia dizhi 廉价低), the tendency of “adoring the foreign goods” (chongyang meiwai 崇洋媚外) and the bad habit of producing “fake foreign brands” (jia yanghuo 假洋), fuelling a possible imminent wave of nationalist consumerism.

Nonetheless, the “Da Vinci code” can offer a precious opportunity to reflect about the status of “Made in Italy” in China also to us. As I already highlighted in a interview with Agi China 24, Italy is a country that has a privileged position in the Chinese imaginary, and this is why it is important to use in a clever and efficient way the values that make China curious, interested and near to us: first of all, our cultural heritage and “Made in Italy”. Paradoxically, Da Vinci – that before this scandal was considered a winning example – was able to do it, exploiting a fake Italian identity that, to our eyes, of course looks unfounded and stereotyped. The founders of the company chose the name “Da Vinci” just because it is easily associated with positive ideas, strictly connected to Italian culture, art, creativity and style, and surely contributed to provide the brand with an added value...after all, if the Da Vinci logo, with its curves and floreal patterns, is realized in a perfect Art Nouveau style, who cares?

2011-03-21

"RAIDING AFRICA": African filmakers exploring China

The 21th edition of the African, Asian and Latin American Film Festival (http://www.festivalcinemaafricano.org/eng/index.php), held in Milan, begins today (March 21) and lasts until March 27. After the success of "Forget Africa" (a program that took place and involved international filmmakers encountering for their first time Africa), this year the collaboration with the International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR, http://www.filmfestivalrotterdam.com) continues: this time, though, the perspective has completely been turned upside down, thanks to the special section "Raiding Africa" (http://www.festivalcinemaafricano.org/eng/index.php?pag=sez_retrospettiva). 
"Raiding Africa" is the name of a program involging seven African filmmakers (coming from Sudafrica, Uganda, Ruanda, Congo-Brazzaville and Angola) and that shows their first encounter with China. I believe it is a wonderful opportunity to see China in a very different and new way, that's why I strongly recommend it! You can get a glimpse of this China - seen through African's creative eyes - online, in the festival blog from Gertjan Zuilhof, who travelled in China with the group of young directors (in total, 13 posts are currently available and many nice pictures of the journey). A synopsis of each of the seven films is available here (in Italian).


(Henrique "Dito" Narciso filming for Moamba Chinesa)

(Still image from Li Xia's Salon, by Omelga Mthiyane)


La 21ma edizione del Festival Cinema Africano, Asia e America Latina (http://www.festivalcinemaafricano.org/), che si tiene a Milano, inizia oggi (21 marzo) e proseguirà fino al 27 marzo. Dopo il successo di "Forget Africa" (un progetto che ha coinvolto vari registi internazionali nel momento del loro primo incontro con l'Africa), quest'anno la collaborazione con l'International Film Festival di Rotterdam (IFFR, http://www.filmfestivalrotterdam.com) continua: questa volta, però, la prospettiva è stata completamente stravolta, grazie alla speciale rassegna "Raiding Africa" (http://www.festivalcinemaafricano.org/index.php?pag=sez_retrospettiva). 
"Raiding Africa" è il nome di un progetto che riguarda sette registi africani (provenienti da Sudafrica, Uganda, Ruanda, Congo-Brazzaville e Angola) e mostra il loro primo incontro con la Cina. Credo che si tratti di una bellissima occasione per vedere la Cina in una maniera diversa e nuova, ed è per questo che ve lo raccomando! Si può avere un'idea di questa Cina, vista attraverso occhi africani, online, nel blog del festival di Gertjan Zuilhof, che ha viaggiato in Cina con il gruppo di giovani registi (in totale ci sono 13 post e molte foto del viaggio). La trama di ognuno dei sette film è disponibile qui (in italiano).


2011-03-20

CHINA POWER STATION II

I really like Cao Fei's artistic style: after my last post entitled CHINA POWER STATION I, I kept looking for her works, as something else displayed in the exhibition in Turin drew my attention: a few big pictures hanging on the wall and a video. The pictures were still imaeges taken from a documentary she did in 2004, entitled "Cosplayers" (an ultra-brief - and probably unnecessary - explaination: the word "cosplay" is the contraction of "costume" and "play", it originated in Japan and refers to a sort of performance art, in which participants dress up like some famous fictional characters, usually drawn from manga, anime, comics, animation, video games, and so on). Unfortunately, I couldn't find Cao Fei's video online, but on her website I found a statement from which I would like to propose an exerpt, as it describes a peculiar phenomenon of popular culture that is becoming extremely trendy also in China: 

"In recent years a group of COSPLAYERS, growing up in and around China's coastal cities, have been confronted by both the traditional values of the Chinese education system and subjected to the pull of invading foreign cultures in the new century. As a group of adolescents who refuse to grow-up, they choke themselves with passionate impulses and an undisguised infatuation with personal fancies, expressed through ways and manners only they can understand and be comfortable with. Their characters are often filled with violence, a thirst for power, as well as magical powers but, compared to the boredom, emptiness, rebelliousness, and violence that accompany the lives of many of today's adolescents, escaping inside this sub-cultural cocoon merely seeks to affirm the value of their own existence in society. They frequently and eagerly appear in all kinds of large and small commercial events or trendy places, gaining exposure in the news media, and setting themselves up as spoke-persons for young people today. In the process they attract the attention of many curious onlookers and a sizable peer group following. The satisfaction they gain from their contrived fantasy world counterbalances their despair and despondency in the real world. In fact, since they seek to hide their personality, the pleasure and sense of honor they gain derives from their virtual characters, not their natural identity. They are prepared to shoulder the burden of a split personality in the everyday world, for such a duality of reality and fantasy soothes and comforts their cravings in the same way as fairy tales have become an indispensable part of their lives." (http://www.caofei.com/works/photography/, choose "Coldplayers" on the right and this statement can be found after the first still)

Other photographic works about cosplayers are displayed on her website: Un-Cosplayers and Cos-Cosplayers. From this last series, I chose the ones I like best and share them here. I guess I like them because I appreciate the contrast of the romantic gothic outfit and the "bad" elements (namely the helmets) of Darth Vader and Stormtroopers from George Lucas' Star Wars.





Mi piace lo stile artistico di Cao Fei: dopo aver postato CHINA POWER STATION I, ho continuato a cercare le sue opere, visto che qualcos'altro esposto alla mostra di Torino mi aveva incuriosito: alcune fotografie appese al muro e un video. Le fotografie erano immagini still prese da un documentario del 2004, intitolato "Cosplayers" (una velocissima - e probabilmente non necessaria - spiegazione: la parola "cosplay" è la contrazione di "costume" e "play", ha avuto origine in Giappone e indica una sorta di arte performativa, in cui i partecipanti si vestono come alcuni personaggio famosi, di solito provenienti da manga, anime, fumetti, animazioni, video giochi, e così via). Purtroppo, non ho trovato il video di Cao Fei, ma nel suo sito ho trovato una dichiarazione, di cui voglio proporre un estratto, visto che descrive un fenomeno peculiare delle cultura popolare, che sta diventando di tendenza anche in Cina: 

"In recent years a group of COSPLAYERS, growing up in and around China's coastal cities, have been confronted by both the traditional values of the Chinese education system and subjected to the pull of invading foreign cultures in the new century. As a group of adolescents who refuse to grow-up, they choke themselves with passionate impulses and an undisguised infatuation with personal fancies, expressed through ways and manners only they can understand and be comfortable with. Their characters are often filled with violence, a thirst for power, as well as magical powers but, compared to the boredom, emptiness, rebelliousness, and violence that accompany the lives of many of today's adolescents, escaping inside this sub-cultural cocoon merely seeks to affirm the value of their own existence in society. They frequently and eagerly appear in all kinds of large and small commercial events or trendy places, gaining exposure in the news media, and setting themselves up as spoke-persons for young people today. In the process they attract the attention of many curious onlookers and a sizable peer group following. The satisfaction they gain from their contrived fantasy world counterbalances their despair and despondency in the real world. In fact, since they seek to hide their personality, the pleasure and sense of honor they gain derives from their virtual characters, not their natural identity. They are prepared to shoulder the burden of a split personality in the everyday world, for such a duality of reality and fantasy soothes and comforts their cravings in the same way as fairy tales have become an indispensable part of their lives." (http://www.caofei.com/works/photography/, scegliere "Coldplayers" alla destra e questa dichiarazione comparirà sotto alla prima immagine still).

Nel suo sito, si possono trovare altre opere fotografiche sui cosplayers: Un-Cosplayers e Cos-Cosplayers. Di quest'ultima serie, ho scelto le foto che mi hanno colpito e le ripropongo qui. Credo mi piacciano perché apprezzo il contrasto dell'abbigliamento romantico/gotico e gli elementi "cattivi" (gli elmi) di Darth Vader e degli Stormtroopers della serie Guerre Stellari di George Lucas.


2011-03-11

CHINA POWER STATION I

To my surprise, the exhibition on Chinese contemporary art I missed last time I was in Turin has been delayed until the end of March! I really didn't want to loose this chance and I went to visit, just before getting on the train to go back home. The name of the exhibition is CHINA POWER STATION and it is currently hosted by Pinacoteca Agnelli (Lingotto). I was lucky to find a very nice guide and a group of people who wanted to visit with the help of some detailed explainations, so I spent there a few hours. Among the works I saw, I was fascinated by "i·MIRROR" (我·镜), a second life documentary film. This video, that was also featured in the Chinese Pavillon during the Venice Biennale in 2007, was shot by China Tracy, the second life avatar of the Chinese artist Cao Fei 曹斐. I have to be honest: as I was afraid of missing my train, I didn't have the time to sit down and watch the entire documentary, but I regret that. I found this three parts on Youtube and want to share them with you. The thing that struck me most is that, at least from an outsider's point of view (as I'm not really into contemporary art!) it completely lack Chinese elements.
Here is a link also with some infos on the artist  (http://nwn.blogs.com/nwn/2007/07/this-is-truly-c.html) and the link to her blog  (http://www.caofei.com). Enjoy!

PART 1

PART 2

PART 3

Con mia grande sorpresa, la mostra d'arte cinese contemporanea che avevo perso durante la mia ultima gita a Torino è stata posticipata fino a fine marzo! Non volevo perdere quest'occasione e sono andata a visitarla, proprio prima di prendere il treno per tornare a casa. Il nome della mostra è CHINA POWER STATION e al momento è ospitata dalla Pinacoteca Agnelli (Lingotto). Sono stata fortunata a incontrare una guida simpatica e un gruppo di persone che volevano fare una visita con l'aiuto di alcune spiegazioni dettagliate, quindi sono stata lì un paio d'ore. Tra le opere che ho visto, sono rimasta affascinata da "i·MIRROR" (我·镜), un film/documentario sulla seconda vita. Questo video, esposto anche nel Padiglione cinese alla Biennale di Venezia nel 2007, è firmato China Tracy, l'avatar dell'artista Cao Fei 曹斐. Sarò sincera: avendo paura di perdere il treno, non ho avuto il tempo per sedermi e vedere tutto il documentario, ma me ne pento. Ho trovato le tre parti su Youtube e le condivido qui. La cosa che mi ha colpito di più è che, almeno dal punto di vista di una outsider (visto che non sono proprio per l'arte contemporanea!) manca completamente di elementi cinesi. 
Qui un link con alcune informazioni anche sull'artista (http://nwn.blogs.com/nwn/2007/07/this-is-truly-c.html) e qui il link al suo blog (http://www.caofei.com). A voi!

China@Turin

I've recently been invited to a seminar entitled "La via cinese ai media" (the Chinese way to media), held in Turin, in collaboration with Ordine Giornalisti Piemonte, Scienze della Comunicazione (Università di Torino) and CIRCE (Centro Interdipartimentale di Ricerca sulla Comunicazione). Here is the brochure of the event, that proved to be an interesting occasion for gathering and discussing Chinese media, including television, information system, the Internet and - of course - advertising, also with professionals from the communication sector. I think the picture that has been chosen for the brochure could be used also in one of my courses as a fitting example of the "recycling" of the revolutionary culture in contemporary China (and this is why I like it!). 
This is the link to the PODCAST of my intervention "Advertising 'with Chinese characteristics'":
http://elearning.unito.it/lettere/blocks/inwicast/index.php?id=21


Di recente sono stata invitata ad un seminario intitolato "La via cinese ai media", tenutosi a Torino, in collaborazione con l'Ordine Giornalisti Piemonte, Scienze della Comunicazione (Università di Torino) e CIRCE (Centro Interdipartimentale di Ricerca sulla Comunicazione). Questa è la locandina dell'evento, che si è rivelato essere un'occasione interessante per riunirsi e discutere di media cinesi, televisione, sistema informativo, internet e pubblicità compresa, anche con professionisti della comunicazione. La foto che è stata scelta per la locandina potrebbe essere usata in uno dei miei corsi come esempio calzante di "riciclaggio" della cultura rivoluzionaria nella Cina contemporanea (e, proprio per questo, mi piace!). 
Questo è il link al PODCAST del mio intervento "La pubblicità 'con carattertistiche cinesi'": 

2011-02-09

Better late than never! - Meglio tardi che mai!

Due to the academic calendar, it was really impossible to post regularly...but I'm back now! As I like to keep track of the activities involving me and my students, I post the link to the brochure and some pics of the conference "City Portraits: Beijing" held at IUAV University, last December. 

Per via del calendario accademico, è stato veramente impossibile postare in maniera regolare...ma sono tornata! Dato che mi piace tenere traccia delle attività che coinvolgono me e i miei studenti, posto qui il link alla brochure e alcune foto della conferenza "City Portraits: Beijing", tenutasi lo scorso dicembre allo IUAV.