21 Jan The nostalgia of art salons

Too much pragmatism. The fixed thought of invoicing. The fear of not making it to the end of the month. There are various conditions of human beings that have put an end to the search for value, social prestige, civil and cultural commitment. Once upon a time, we’re talking about 1700, culture escaped from academies and courts to meet people at great speed. It was necessary to fight backwardness and ignorance to progress in order to improve one’s situation. This is how literary cafés and cultural salons, mostly noble, were born. The salons of noble ladies, such as that of Madame Marie Thérès Geoffrin in Paris, as stated by Diderot himself who frequented it with Rousseau and D’Alembert, were frequented by all those who cared about their fame, social prestige and commitment civil and cultural.

The Left Bank of the Seine in Paris, the Saint Germain-des-Prés district is famous for hosting the most famous literary cafés in the world. They range from Le Procope, the oldest and of Italian origin, to the Café de Flore not to forget the legendary Café de la Paix, and then La Closerie des Lilas, Les Deux Magots, Les éditeurs and many many others. In fact, in France, the vogue for the café as an intellectual workplace has never really gone out of fashion. The majority of those who only need a laptop to do their work do so in cafes. It is easy to meet journalists, writers, poets, copywriters, storytellers sitting at a bar table writing. Using free wi-fi is a powerful attractor. In Italy there is no this habit. We prefer coworking spaces to bars where, however, culture also takes place. Cowo, Copernico, Talent Garden, Impact Hub are just some of the existing networks in Italy.

In entrambi casi, però, l’aspetto del confronto è meno basilare. The economic sphere is preferred to the highest systems and then returns to the personal one. Sono molti, difatti gli intellettuali e gli artisti che si lamentano della mancanza di un luogo di dibattito. Perhaps because the discussion is already addressed, in an always too sterile manner, on social media.

Gli stessi intellettuali arroccati nel loro gergo e nella loro fobia di mantenere lo status quo sono stati spazzati via dalle stringhe di zero e uno. Or perhaps, more simply, in a very noisy virtual square, their calm tone can no longer be heard.

What if the living rooms had transformed into something else? Spaces like Campo teatro, a cultural and artistic production center born from the renovation of spaces linked to the Milanese textile industry, is definitely a virtuous example. Here all the figures linked to the world of theatre, including set designers, collaborate to spread culture. Realities like these are not widespread, but they exist. Among these Art Sharing Roma which, tired of selfishness, intellectual condescension and doors in the face, has opened its doors to figurative artists and all art lovers, just like Teelent.

Maybe all is not lost. In Piedmont and specifically in Alba, the Ceretto, Chiarlo and Farinetti families are three families of winemakers very committed to the diffusion of culture and art. In San Cassiano, where the Acino dei Ceretto is located, it is easy to attend the presentation of books. At their Glass Cube in Castiglion Falletto, however, it is normal to meet artists in the living room in the act of creating some work. Pulling the strings of everything, the excellent Roberta. In the Fontanafredda theatre, however, it is Oscar Farinetti who invites important public figures with something to say. And the Chiarlos, under Laura’s guidance, also work hard to spread culture accompanied by a good glass of wine. These are no longer old-fashioned living rooms, but new places where those with ears to listen can have an exact perception of the current situation.

We at Teelent also recently had the honor of sitting in one of these prestigious living rooms (being very careful, of course, not to sit on the exposed sofa, an incredible piece of design by SM Living Couture): a place different from the others, in heart of Genoa but out of time, a meeting place like those of the past but projected into the future. Excellent host and creator of the initiative is Loredana Trestin, curator and art manager, as well as a new prestigious collaboration for the Teelent’s Family. Genoa in the living room, this is the name of the new format she created, is an open and welcoming space located on the first floor of the prestigious Saluzzo dei Rolli palace, in the rooms that house the art, creativity and CAD design showroom, just a few steps away from the Duomo, in the heart of the city. Genoa in the living room, this is the name of the new format she created, is an open and welcoming space located on the first floor of the prestigious Saluzzo dei Rolli palace, in the rooms that house the art, creativity and CAD design showroom, just a few steps away from the Duomo, in the heart of the city. The first meeting, dedicated to the objective of the 2030 Agenda on the emancipation of women and girls in the world, was attended by leading representatives from the fields of art (including us!!!), creativity, music, the lawyer who shared their knowledge and experience with those present. This is ultimately what a cultural salon is: a place in which to share and leave with the sensation of having felt at home.