FIVE ITALIAN INTANGIBLE ARTS

Italy is world known for good food. You will never guess what
acknowledgment it has recently received. 

In 2008 Unesco created a dedicated arts program known as List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. 

This list includes all arts that are not translated into products of use. However contributing to the advance of our cultural world heritage as testimonials of our identity: a craft processing method (i.e. Violin traditional craftsmanship in Cremona), a community singing art (Sardinian Pastoral Songs), a unique theater performing art (Sicilian Puppet Theater), and a community popular tradition  (Celebrations of big shoulder-borne processional structures whose files are currently under process). 

These examples are actually four out of the five intangible arts coming from Italy. The fifth art is being shared with other countries belonging to the Mediterranean Sea. These countries are as follows: Greece, Spain, Portugal, Morocco, Cyprus, Croatia, and Italy. What do you think this art is? I would have never thought about it. Give it a guess. It's the Mediterranean diet! 

The Mediterranean sea from an old map enhanced its fascination as a cultural cradle.

The violin traditional craftsmanship in Cremona is a Unesco
intangible art. 

I first thought of writing a post about intangible arts when I visited Pietra Ligure (Savona) last year upon a national competition of artistic flower tapestries. 

Then I thought of intangible arts again when looking at the sand art creations by California artist Jim Denevan. Denevan's artwork is described as temporary drawings eventually erased by waves and weather. 

Sand Art by Jim Denevan 

Last but not least Italy's Consul General in San Francisco recently wrote a post about Italian intangible arts in his blog. That was a great reminder and so flattering to write about the same subject. What I did is that I wrote my post first and then double-check with Consol's post. The conclusion is that I wish you to visit the Consul's post about intangible arts because art descriptions are very detailed and in accordance with Unesco's guidelines.  However, what our posts have in common is that both start with the Mediterranean diet! Which art can bring more peace than sitting at a dinner table with family and friends? 

The Sicilian Puppet Theater is known as 'Opera dei Pupi'
and is a famous marionette theater. 

Pastoral songs in Sardinia are part of the Unesco cultural heritage. It is a
polyphonic singing style classical of profane music in Sardinia. 

A famous procession takes place every year in GUBBIO, Italy. It is a shoulder-borne processional structure  (macchina a spalla in Italian) with huge candleholders. Now competing to be part of the UNESCO List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. 

The art of flower tapestries is very vivid in the Liguria region famous for their
extensive flowers growing. 

A detail of the peacock's head. The peacock is the symbol of transformation,
rebirth, and rejuvenation. It has been portrayed in many Renaissance
paintings. 

Flower tapestries started as a tradition in Italy for Easter Religious Celebrations.
Will they be the next  Italian art joining the UNESCO list of intangible arts?

Cama® is a cultural brand

FRIENDS OF CAMA 

Join the Facebook Page to Receive Blog Updates 

NEW!

Now on Twitter