On June 25, the great director Wim Wenders – who has just given his audience the wonderful Perfect Days – stopped in Ferrara to visit him Antonioni Spaceinaugurated on June 1st, a unique universe that collects some of the 47 thousand objects that the famous Ferrarese director Michelangelo Antonioni donated to his hometown.
Accompanying him along the route were Enrica Fico, Antonioni’s wife and among the promoters together with Vittorio Sgarbi of the new museum space in Corso Porta Mare 5, his wife (the artist and photographer Donata Wenders) and the Councilor for Culture Marco Gulinelli.
A promise is kept
This is a promise kept: on the day of the inauguration of the new space, Wenders was unable to be physically present in Ferrara. However, he had connected for a streaming greeting, promising that in June he would come to visit him personally during his stay in Italy on the occasion of the Bologna Film Festival, for the screening of the version restored by the Cineteca di Bologna of Buena Vista Social Club (1999), in the original language with Italian subtitles. An exciting moment to celebrate 25 years since the release of the group of traditional Cuban musicians (among others, Compay Segundo, Ibrahim Ferrer and Omara Portuondo), brought together by guitarist Ry Cooder.
Arriving in the city of Este, hands joined in a sign of prayer above his head, a gesture of extreme elegance and delicacy, Wenders addresses a “Thank you” upwards, towards the writing “Spazio Antonioni” which stands out at the entrance to the museum in Viale Porta Mare.
A Look Towards the Horizon, ‘Beyond the Clouds’
The German director and screenwriter, who with Antonioni signed the film largely made in Ferrara, Beyond the clouds (1995), immediately stops to admire the clips on display People of the Po, the documentary made in the 1940s by a young Antonioni at the beginning of his career, the painting by Filippo de Pisis, “Fish in the landscape of Pomposa” (1928) and that of Burri. Iconic images that enrich the museum itinerary.
He jokes with Enrica Fico, who explains the selected works to him: letters, photographs, clips, paintings. She stops in front of an image of Lucia Bosé: “Weren’t you jealous of these images that Michelangelo kept in his archive?” Wenders tells her smiling.
Antonioni’s prestigious awards on display: inspiration
Wenders then observes the awards, among those on display in the exhibition: the Oscar for lifetime achievement, the Golden Lion for lifetime achievement, the Palme d’Or at Cannes for best film obtained with Blow Up, in 1967. He then stopped to savor the many film clips present in space, from The lady without camellias (1953) a ‘Zabriskie point (1970).
“This is an inspiring place. The right dimension is created inside to accommodate Antonioni’s universe. It’s fabulous, congratulations to whoever made it possible,”
said Wenders, who is also a member of the honorary committee of the Ferrara museum, at the end of his presence at the exhibition. The director himself, at the inauguration of the space last May 31, had said that the one in Ferrara
“it will be a space not only for today’s generations, but also for future generations”. “I have – he also said – only the fondest memories of our work in Ferrara with Michelangelo and Enrica and I feel connected to this wonderful city and to our common love for the great Michelangelo, the famous son of Ferrara, born there 112 years ago”.
Enrica Fico Antonioni tells.
“This is the most heartfelt visit since the inauguration day. The emotion, now, continues: Wim is the person closest to Michelangelo and therefore also to Ferrara. His visit, as always, was enriched with jokes, he likes to joke as Antonioni did. Wenders is a very precious friend and a great man, I hope he can collaborate with us to make this place come alive: this must be Antonioni’s home, lived by artists and by those who are inspired by him”
“Personal emotion is combined with professional emotion: Wim Wenders is among the greatest living directors and with his work, his humility and his silent teaching he motivates us to always do better and work with passion. Casa Antonioni is Michelangelo’s house and also his house,” concluded councilor Marco Gulinelli.
Images of the “Ferrara Rinasce” press office, @ Andrea Forlani
