There will also be space for the often provocative inspiration of Olivero Toscani in the future World Design Library (Wdl). We are talking about the first international design library that the Municipality and the Polytechnic are planning to save the historical heritage of important pieces of creative Turin from oblivion. In the large online portal, which however will have a location in the Turin civic library Esposizioni under construction, the archives will be kept and the historical documentation of important companies that have made our city and Piedmont a basin of innovations and discoveries in world design. But not only. On the online pages of the Wdl you can also consultand 500 thousand negatives, 210 thousand slides, 100 thousand printsposters and covers signed by the great photographer famous for the advertising campaigns of Benetton, Chanel, Robe di Kappa, Fiorucci, Prénatal, Jesus Jeans and Artemide.
«I never would have thought that my work could become of public interest. I am very honored that it is of interest to a network of libraries. Also because it is totally in line with my point of view on art: it must be accessible and democratic.” Olivero Toscani is satisfied because his creations will become part of a library that aims to become the national and international reference for in-depth study, study and research in the field of design and environmental sustainability. His photos and covers will be a good companion.
According to forecasts, the World Design Library will host the archives of, for example, Aurelio Peccei, Olivetti, the companies Aurora, Carioca, Italdesign and the Scassa tapestry factory. The two thousand documents representing Toscani’s entire career will be merged in the innovative bookshop in 2027. Meanwhile, starting from the month of May, the census project of the photographer’s existing assets began in collaboration with the specialized company Promemoria Group. Work carried out by the Polytechnic which signed a collaboration with Toscani in 2023. The protagonists are two university laboratories: the Systemic Design Research Education Center (Sydere) and the Artificial Intelligence Hub (Aih). “There partnership with Oliviero Toscani allows the Polytechnic to explore new methodologies for the digitization, cataloging and use of a rich deposit of photographic materials”, explains Professor Pier Paolo Peruccio, director of the Sydere Center.
With the technologies of Artificial intelligence we will try to manage all the processing phases on a limited sample of the Milanese photographer’s services and projects, examining every single step of the process: from the search for original materials, to the digitization of films, slides or other supports, up to the collection of backstage footage of shootings. «This project represents a great opportunity to work in close contact with materials of great historical and artistic value from a master of photography like Oliviero Toscani in a totally innovative way by exploiting the potential of Artificial Intelligence», comments Professor Silvia Barbero, vice rector for Communication of the Polytechnic of Turin.
