my Marche

{:it}You can't not touch what you love…{:}

Art and Culture

{:en}The city of Ancona has a world record in the cultural field.

Giving her the chance to win this first place are two people with a rather serious handicap who were able to make a virtue of necessity. They are Daniela Bottegoni and Aldo Grassini, two blind spouses with a passion for travel, culture and art, who they approached with sensitivity and attention using the senses available, first and foremost touch.

The desire to know the forms of the sculptures not only from the descriptions of refined and cultured critics, the desire to explore them with their hands, the tenacity in pursuing this hunger for art meant that they managed to conceive the idea of ​​a museum where anyone could use the sense of touch to approach the masterpieces of all time with the freedom to feel them as your own. Thus, well over twenty-five years ago (on 29 May 1993) the Omero Museum was born in Ancona. At the beginning its headquarters was a wing of a school. Since 2008 it has finally found a place in a more suitable area for such a rare institution: now the Mole Vanvitelliana is the prestigious headquarters of this institution, which has become state-owned.

Who frequents the Homer Museum? Certainly not only the blind. Everyone can do it. The visitor, if he wishes, can experience the route in the dark: blindfolded and with the help of the staff he is directed to walk through the rooms, pausing in front of the various works, touching faces, bodies, gestures, expressions, discovering volumes and perspectives through your own hands.

Therefore a structure not only for those who cannot measure themselves with light and images, but to reveal to everyone the possibilities of perception. The Omero State Tactile Museum has made tactile observation its main channel of knowledge: an approach to aesthetics that is still largely unexplored even by blind people, despite its profound epistemological value.

 

 

The Museum was created with the aim of filling the gap in the panorama of cultural services for the blind, but also with the aim of offering everyone an innovative space where artistic perception passes through extra-visual multi-sensorial suggestions.

Over the years it has become a center for developing creative projects and activities, workshops, concerts, exhibitions, conferences and training. It is very popular with school groups who also participate in the workshops. Over time, international projects and collaborations have multiplied with Universities (Kofu, Japan), Italian Cultural Institutes abroad (Egypt and Beirut), Museums (the City of Science - the Villette in Paris, the Archaeological Museum of vilamuseu, Alicante).

The XVIII edition of Sensi d'Estate will take place in this period – pmultisensory courses in Art, Theater, Music, Smells and Flavours, every Wednesday from 17 July to 21 August

During the days of the exhibition, the exhibition will then be open and visitable in the rooms of the Omero Museum “RABARAMA and young artists”  until midnight with sculptures to caress, tactile books to browse and musical compositions to listen to: works by Rabarama and the finalist works of the students who participated in the Arteinsieme Biennale, inspired by the sculptor and Maestro Michele Mariotti.

 

Entrance to the Homer Museum is free at the following times: from September to June from Tuesday to Saturday 16 - 19 pm; Sundays and holidays 10am – 13pm and 16pm – 19pm.
From July to August: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday 17pm - 20pm; Friday, Sunday and 15 August 10am – 13pm and 17pm – 20pm.
Extraordinary openings are planned for groups and schools.
From 17 May to 22 November 2019 also open in the morning from 10am to 13pm when cruises arrive at the Port of Ancona. It remains closed on Mondays.

This Museum is visited largely by non-residents and foreigners: it is an asset for the city of Ancona. Thanks to Aldo and Daniela and all their collaborators.


You can't help but touch what you love (Aldo Grassini)

 

 

article by Carla Virili

{:}{:en}The city of Ancona deserves a world record in cultural heritage.
Two individuals with disabilities made this possible and they made a virtue out of necessity. They are Daniela Bottegoni and Aldo Grassini, they are both blind and a couple who share the passion for travelling, culture, arts, which they approached with awareness and attention using the available senses, first of all the touch.


The desire to know the shapes of the sculptures not only from the descriptions made by refined and educated critics, the desire to explore them with their hands, the insistence in pursuing this craving for arts made it possible for them to develop the idea of ​​a museum where everyone could use the sense of touch to better understand the masterpieces of arts while enjoying the freedom to feel them as they own. That is how the Museo Omero in Ancona was funded more than twenty-five years ago (on May, 29 1993). In the beginning its main seat was located inside a school, while in 2008 it finally moved to a much more adequate location, that is the Mole Vanvitelliana which became the prestigious seat of the now public museum.


Who attends the Homer Museum? Not only the blind for sure. Everyone can do it. The visitors, if they wish, can experience the path in the dark: blindfolded and with the help of the museum workers they are directed to walk the halls, pausing in front of the various works, touching faces, bodies, gestures, expressions, discovering volumes and perspectives through their own hands.


So a structure not only for those who cannot measure themselves against light and image, but to reveal to everyone, the possibilities of perception. The Museo Tattile Statale Omero (ie Tactile State Museum Omero) has made tactile observation its main channel of knowledge: an approach to aesthetics largely unexplored even by blind people, despite its profound epistemological value.
The Museum was born with the aim of filling the void in the panorama of cultural services for the blind, but also with the aim of offering everyone an innovative space where the artistic perception is delivered through extra visual multi-sensorial suggestions.
Over the years it has become a center for creative projects and activities, workshops, concerts, exhibitions, conferences and training. It is very popular with school groups that also participate in workshops. Over time, international projects and collaborations have developed with universities (Kofu, Japan), Italian Cultural Institutes abroad (Egypt and Beirut), Museums (The City of Science at La Villette in Paris, Archaeological Museum of Vilamuseu in Alicante).


In this period, the 18th edition of “Sensi d'Estate” will take place, that is multisensory courses of Arts, Theater, Music, Smells and Flavors, every Wednesday from July, 17th to August, 21st. In the days of the exhibition, the exhibition “RABARAMA and young artists” will be open to the public in the rooms of the Omero Museum until 24 with sculptures to caress, tactile books to browse and musical compositions to listen to: works by Rabarama and finalist works by students who have participated in the Biennale Arteinsieme, inspired by the sculptor and Maestro Michele Mariotti.
Admission to the Homer Museum is free at the following times: from September to June from Tuesdays to Saturdays 4 – 7 pm;
Sundays and holidays 10am – 1pm and 4pm – 7pm.
From July to August: Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays 17-20pm;
Fridays, Sundays and August, 15th (bank holiday) from 10 – 13 and 17 – 20.
There are special openings for groups and schools.
From May, 17th to November, 22nd 2019 also open in the morning 10 am – 1 pm on the occasion of the cruise landing at the Port of Ancona. Closed on Mondays.


This museum is mostly visited by non-residents and foreigners: it is a treasure for the city of Ancona. Thanks to Aldo and Daniela and all their collaborators.{:}

1 comment

Patrizia Caporossi 10 July 2019 at 18: 05

Very true... the excellence of love for life of which art is the vital meaning... of our being and being in the world. Thanks to Aldo Grassini, a highly esteemed colleague and friend of my family

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