€1 5 June 2013 THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE MAGAZINE IN ROME where to in Rome Art & Culture eNtertAINMeNt News useful NuMbers Poste Italiane S.p.a. Sped. in abb. post. DL 353/2003 (Conv. in L 27/02/2004 N.46) art. 1 comma 1 Aut. C/RM/04/2013 - Anno 5, Numero 6 Summer Special no. 6 / wednesday / 5 June 2013 3 VILLA MASSIMO: A MONUMENT TO GERMAN CULTURE Margaret Stenhouse 5 RENTING IN ITALY Studio Legale Annino 7 ROME’S VINTAGE MARKETS AND BOUTIQUES Nicola Ferlei-Brown 8 MUSEUMS 9 WHAT’S ON Linda Bordoni 18 CLASSIFIED COLUMNS Maria Sewcz, 2011 Roma-VM. 365/39/51 masw Fineartprint on Hahnemühle paper, 57 x 73 cm 24 USEFUL NUMBERS The artist Maria Sewcz was a fellow at the Germany Academy Villa Massimo in 2011. The photographs that were the result of her stay in Rome all integrate differ - ent proportions and spatial situations in their themes and perspectives. They compose an essay that goes beyond the usual tourist photos to show the city in all its historical and social complexity. The work Roma – VM. 365/39/51 masw contains a selection of 51 photo - graphs that Sewcz bound into a folio. WANTED IN ROME HAS MOVED TO A NEW OFFICE Wanted in Rome has moved to Via di Monserrato 49, just off Piazza Farnese. Next publication dates are 3 July and 7 August. Classified advertisement placed through our office, Via di Monserrato 49, should arrive not later than 13.00 on 26 June (for publication 3 July) and 31 July (for 7 August). However classifieds may be published around the clock on our website www.wantedinrome.com . They will appear in the next available paper edition of the magazine. Tel/fax 066867967 [email protected] [email protected] www.wantedinrome.com 7 13 www.wantedinmilan.com Direttore responsabile: Franco Venturini 10 Executive editor: Mary Wilsey Editrice: Società della Rotonda Srl, Via delle Coppelle 9 Progetto grafico: Dina Dancu Impaginazione: Dali Studio Srl Stampa: Beta Tipografica , Via Casilina Vecchia 119a/b Diffusione: Emilianpress Scrl , Via delle Messi d’Oro 212, tel. 0641734425. Registrazione al Trib. di Roma numero 118 del 30/3/2009 già iscritta con il numero 131 del 6/3/1985. Finito di stampare il 03/06/2013 Copies are on sale at: Newsstands in Rome Feltrinelli International, Via V. E. Orlando 84, tel. 064827878. The Almost Corner Bookshop, Via del Moro 45, tel. 065836942. Early copies: (after 14.00 on the day before official publication): Wanted in Rome , Via di Monserrato 49. Anglo American Bookstore , Via della Vite 102. You can find us on Wanted in Rome 5 June 2013 1 2 5 June 2013 Wanted in Rome VILLA MASSIMO: A MONUMENT TO GERMAN CULTURE The German Academy celebrates a century of cultural activity alking through the gates of Villa Massimo, the German Academy in Rome, feels a little like stepping through the proverbial looking glass. The bustle and noise of Rome vanishes. The vast park, with its 100-year-old trees and rose- Wbeds, its romantic moss-covered fountain, the cypress-lined avenue and classical sculptures, encapsulates all the essential elements of the bygone Romantic era. It is, in fact, an ideal artists’ haven, dreamed up by a man of vision, culture and abundant wealth, who invested part of his fortune in creating the ideal environment where artists could develop in the city that he regarded as the epicentre of European classical art. The main building, the studios and the garden of the German Academy, constructed in the early years of the 20th century by Jewish coal baron Eduard Arnhold, has survived intact, weathering two wars and the onslaught of urban development, without ever deviating from the purpose for which it was built thanks to the foresight of its founder, who gifted it to the Prussian state in 1913 on condition that it would always be used for German artists. The director Joachim Blüher in the grounds of Villa Massimo, the German Academy in Rome. Pointing to the founder’s bust, positioned prominently on the Villa stair - way, Academy director Joachim Blüher explained that “Arnhold believed that everything. But the work just doesn’t get started and no-one will tell us why. an artist should receive what he merits but doesn’t normally get from life.” I can’t understand it.” A lifelong lover of Italy and classical culture, Arnhold purchased the Another pet project is to build a church at Olevano Romano, a village in 36,000-sqm plot off the Via Nomentana – at that time in open countryside – the hills some 60 km east of Rome, where the Academy has two properties: from the Massimo noble family (hence the name). He proceeded to build the the Casa Baldi and the Bosco Serpentara (Wood of Snakes), which was a villa, as well as ten spacious, light-flooded and surprisingly modern artists’ much-favoured beauty spot with German artists in the Grand Tour days. studios, each with individual living quarters, where the fortunate scholarship These are used by some of the borsisti during the summer. Three ex-Villa holders – chosen each year from some 1,500 candidates – can live and Massimo Fellows, electronic musician Carsten Nicolai (better known as Alva work during their 11 month-stay in Rome. The borsisti are generally in their Nota), artist Matthias Weischer and architect Rudy Finsterwalder, have elab - 40s, with a minimum five-year artistic career in Germany in order to be eligi - orated a revolutionary design for the church, which will be built according to ble. Many bring their families with them. the canons of the Catholic faith. “We have a really beautiful site and the build - “We had 19 children here one year!” Blüher remarked philosophically. ing will be extraordinary. A lot of love and desire is invested in this project.” Unlike many of the other foreign academies, all the artists arrive and leave Blüher is keen to promote closer relationships with the Rome internation - on the same day. Traditionally, their study year begins with a small cere- al community as well as Italy, the host country. “Our open-door summer mony at the Goethe House museum on Via del Corso, in which they pres - party attracts 4,000 people. Most of them are Italian and I’m surprised and ent themselves and their work. For the last seven years, however, Blüher has pleased to see that they get younger and younger every year. That means arranged that the end of the stay is celebrated in style, with a mega farewell that what we do interests the new generations as well.” event held at the Martin-Gropius-Bau in Berlin, one of Germany’s most pres - The Academy has also maintained friendly relationships with the tigious art venues, attended by thousands of members of the public. founder’s descendants. Eduard Arnhold died in 1925 but during the tragic Joachim Blüher has been at the helm of the German Academy for ten years that followed, the rest of his family fled to North and South America, years. A man of many parts, with an inexhaustible flow of energy and ideas, where they still live today. A nephew was instrumental in having the Villa his career in the arts goes back to early childhood, when he first began returned to the German government in the 1950s after Italian artists had restoring antique glass. Teen years in school saw him venturing into music occupied it in the post-war years, and members of the family visit from time as a drummer in a band called – prophetically as it turns out – the Foro to time. They must be happy to see that Eduard’s dream continues and how Romano. Later he progressed into photography and curating international well his original wishes have been respected. exhibitions and art galleries in Cologne and New York, an experience that brought him into contact with many emerging artists. Margaret Stenhouse What is his advice to the scholarship holders who come to the Academy? “Be open-minded,” he says, throwing his arms wide. Some, he explained, Until 7 June, the German Academy hosts the 20th edition of Soltanto un quadro have problems of adaptation. “Their expectations in coming to Rome are al massimo , a cycle of exhibitions in which a work by an Italian artist and one by often too high.” a German artist are shown side by side. This year the exhibition features a bronze Italian officialdom and bureaucratic dithering is a major irritation. “We sculpture by Rome artist Marco Tirelli, and “Quenching Tower Zecher Emscher- Lippe Datteln, Ruhr II, D 1985” by Germany’s Bernd and Hilla Becher. want to donate a multi-cultural centre, a ‘House for Youth’ in L’Aquila to help German Academy, Villa Massimo, Largo di Villa Massimo 1-2, tel. 0644259340, earthquake reconstruction. We have the funds, the plans, the permits – www.villamassimo.it. Wanted in Rome 5 June 2013 3 4 5 June 2013 Wanted in Rome RENTING IN ITALY Sign on the dotted line without unpleasant surprises “Law benefits and protects Landlords over tration of the apartment building and waste tax. Tenants, Creditors over Debtors, Lenders over To establish the actual amount of the service Borrowers. The poor are seldom among the charges it is advisable to ask the owner or estate favoured parties” – John Turner agent for a copy of the previous year’s balance sheets, complete with a division of the costs, of his quote holds true pretty much every - which each apartment in a condominium pays a where in the world but it is also important share, based on the size and value of the apart - to understand the differences in renting ment, usually expressed in millesimi (thou - Tpractices in Italy during and at the termi - sandths of the total).