I already knew Ale Giorgini for his work as illustrator, but the occasion to email him for the first time occurred a couple of months ago when I was planning my weekend in Vicenza, to visit Abilmente fair. I then discovered that a new outdoor museum space had opened in the city, curated by Ale Giorgini indeed.

It was love at first sight with the BUM Berga Urban Museum project. The good impression I had from the internet news was confirmed by my live visit to the area: 100 works by 25 international illustrators on the walls of the central square of Borgo Berga.

Here’s the video of the opening, to get you in the mood:

I asked Ale Giorgini some questions to find out more about the Berga Urban Museum and the interesting Associazione Illustri.

How was the project of Berga Urban Museum in Vicenza born?
He was born from the desire of a local business to make the most of a new neighborhood close to the historic center of Vicenza. It is an area shared with the public for the first time on the day of the BUM opening. I was given a square for the project and I thought to transform it into a real open-air museum, open 24 hours on 24, 365 days a year.

How did you choose the illustrators involved in the project?
I thought about calling 25 illustrators from around the world. Literally from all over the world, because all 5 continents were involved. Important names in the world scene, such as Noma Bar, Christoph Niemann, Shout, Tomer Hanuka, Pablo Lobato and many others. Not to mention local talents as Gloria Pizzilli, Simone Massoni, Francesco Poroli, Mauro Gatti and Philip Giordano.

I saw that the buildings in the area have not yet completed: your project is done or there will be a second step?
The idea was just to use the spaces that surround the second stage of the construction site of Borgo Berga as a gallery of 100 illustrations in giant size. The project of the Berga Urban Museum will continue, thanks to Sviluppo Cotorossi, the enlightened client who wanted and produced all this. But thanks to the affluence and the general interest recorded on the opening day and in the weeks thereafter too: on the opening day the square of Borgo Berga was visited by 1,200 people. An extraordinary fact for such a project.

Do you already know who will be involved in the next stage of the project?
I have already submitted my ideas for the 2015 event calendar. I mentioned in the project a few names too, but at the moment I can not let anything leak. I can only tell you that, if all goes as planned, we will leave again the audience speechless.

(Now I’m even more curious!) I’ve also heard that there have been arguments about the construction of Borgo Berga. I must say that at first glance the project convinces me, but, as I’m not living in the city, I ask you a judgment. I guess you obviously like it, but can you explain what happened? Perhaps the opening of Berga Urban Museum has improved the opinion of the critics?
I’m not the best person to answer this question. I can only say that the space in Borgo Berga, the square transformed in a museum and donated to the city of Vicenza, has surprised many. The district, in fact, had never been seen or visited by anyone since then.

Are special events planned in the coming days? Can you give me some details?
Everything will be unveiled in 2015. But I can tell you that the area of Berga Urban Museum will also be involved in the Illustri Festival, the biennial dedicated to the illustration that will open in December 2015. An event on which I am working for a long time, born from the great success of Illustri, a show hosted last year in the Palladian Basilica. The success of that first experience was so big that, from a “simple” show, it became a festival of five days of events, meetings, workshops, lectures, performances that will flood the historic center of Vicenza, including the opening of three exhibitions open until February 2016. The Festival will also be an event that will close the first year of activity of Associazione Illustri, the new benchmark for illustration born to collect the great human and professional heritage who spontaneously approached our recent events. An association that will work for the promotion of Italian illustration, through a busy schedule of events.

Finally: before being a curator, you are an internationally well known illustrator. I saw on the internet pictures of your exhibition in Vienna, now I have seen live the little exhibition at Sunday Market. Upcoming events and projects in progress?
At the moment I decided to take a rest. First, because of the busy program of Associazione Illustri, that will make me go all around Italy in next months. But also for the desire to get back to the drawing board to focus on a couple of projects I’m postponing for too long. I hope to do it by 2015, and perhaps also to present it here, on your pages.

Thanks Ale, I can’t wait!

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