From the economic boom to the years of lead (1957-1977)
Research project of significant national interest funded by the European Union
The 24-month PRIN involves the University of ROMA TRE (scientific coordinator: Prof. Christian Uva) and the Academy of Fine Arts in Rome (research unit manager: Prof. Bruno Di Marino) as proponents and organisers.
The project aims to examine the “golden age” of Italian animation, i.e. the period between 1957 and 1977, a period that was also particularly crucial for our country from a historical, social, economic and political point of view. On the one hand, the two years indicated coincide exactly with the birth and end of Carosello, a national television advertising programme in which animation gained a hugely important space, quickly becoming one of the most solid sectors of the Italian cultural industry itself.
The mass production of advertisements, which required more and more content, including animation, allowed the latter to acquire a dimension in Italy in which craftsmanship and industry ideally merged, creating a sort of “studio system” for Italian animation over the course of the twenty-year period in question. On the other hand, it is also the structure of the country itself that changes profoundly in those years, leading Italy, first, to experience a period of unprecedented industrial expansion and, subsequently, to enter a dramatic period of economic and social crisis culminating in the explosion of political violence and terrorism.
The activities that will take place during the two years of research are:
- An international study conference accompanied by evening screenings, with a related publication.
- The retrospective exhibition A mano libera. Arte e animazione in Italia (1957-1977), accompanied by a catalogue (in Italian and English). The 16 artists included are: Cioni Carpi, Bruno Ceccobelli, Claudio Cintoli, Toni Fabris, Rosa Foschi, Giulio Gianini & Lele Luzzati, Paolo Gioli, Manfredo Manfredi, Francesco Misseri, Magdalo Mussio, Pino Pascali, Luca M. Patella, Marinella Pirelli, Mario Sasso and Armando Testa.
- The organisation of events and tributes within festivals, exhibitions or other contexts in Italy and abroad to publicise the results of the PRIN and promote the works and authors of the period in question.
- The creation of an online platform that allows the dissemination of the research results, through a database that catalogues the animated works and documents collected and allows them (where possible and in compliance with copyright) to be viewed and consulted online.
The “Golden Age” of Italian animation
From the Economic Boom to the Years of Lead (1957-1977)
Research project of significant national interest funded by the European Union
The 24-month PRIN involves the University of ROMA TRE (principal investigator: Prof. Christian Uva) and the Academy of Fine Arts of Rome (associated investigator: Prof. Bruno Di Marino) as proponents and organisers.
The project aims to examine the “golden age” of Italian animation, that is, the period between 1957 and 1977: a particularly crucial period for our country also from the historical, social, economic and political point of view. On the one hand, the two years named above coincide exactly with the beginning and the end of Carosello, the advertising solution of national television in which animation gained its own space of absolute significance, quickly becoming one of the strongest sectors of the Italian cultural industry itself.
In fact, the massive success of advertising, which demanded more and more content, including animated content, allowed the latter to acquire a dimension in Italy where craftsmanship and industry merged, ideally configuring a sort of “studio system” of Italian animation over those 20 years. On the other hand, the period also saw the shaping of the country change profoundly, initially leading Italy to enjoy a period of unprecedented industrial expansion, and subsequently to enter a dramatic period of economic and social crisis culminating in the explosion of political violence and terrorism.
The activities that will take place during the two years of research are:
- An international conference of studies accompanied by evening screenings with a publication.
- The exhibition A mano libera. Arte e animazione in Italia (1957-1977) accompanied by a catalogue (with Italian and English text). The 16 artists involved are: Cioni Carpi, Bruno Ceccobelli, Claudio Cintoli, Toni Fabris, Rosa Foschi, Giulio Gianini & Lele Luzzati, Paolo Gioli, Manfredo Manfredi, Francesco Misseri, Magdalo Mussio, Pino Pascali, Luca M. Patella, Marinella Pirelli, Mario Sasso and Armando Testa.
- The organisation of events and tributes within festivals, exhibitions or other contexts in Italy and abroad to publicise the results of the PRIN and disseminate the works and authors of the period in question.
- The creation of an online platform which allows the dissemination of research results through a database that catalogues the animated works and the documents collected and allows (where possible and in compliance with copyrights) viewing and consultation online.