Heritage Landscapes vol.41

From 1936 to 2000, over 10 million photographs, 120,000 stories, decades of visual memory: the LIFE Picture Collection is one of the most important photographic archives in the United States and an extraordinary chronicle of everyday life and pioneering achievements through images.

LIFE has chronicled the world through the lens of legendary photographers such as Alfred Eisenstaedt and Margaret Bourke-White, offering shots that can now be explored online thanks to digitisation: millions of unpublished images that tell the story of history, fashion and celebrities of the time, without forgetting the simple gestures of everyday life.

The photos are organised by theme, making searching more intuitive and enjoyable. For this summer edition of Heritage Landscapes, we have chosen to explore life on the beaches around 70 years ago.

Each photograph is a special moment, such as those of a spring day in 1947 at Balboa Beach, with dancing on the beach and bonfires at sunset. Or the shots of tide pools in Maine, where the curious eyes of children encounter starfish and crabs. Or the man who dives boldly from a diving board in 1948 in Santa Monica.

"[Life wanted) faces that would express what we wanted to tell. Not just the unusual or striking face, but the face that would speak out the message from the printed page. I am always looking for some typical person or face that will tie the picture essay together in a human way."

Margaret Bourke-White

From 9 July, Senigallia's Molo di Levante pier will be transformed into a long open-air story by Hugo Pratt. A permanent installation with 100 large-format vignettes taken from the famous cartoonist's Corte sconta detta arcana will accompany visitors along the seafront promenade, amid adventures, spies, revolutions and treasures. A tribute to one of the greatest masters of Italian comics, which will conclude in autumn with From Pratt's legendary library to Corto's fantastic adventures at Rocca Roveresca, an exhibition dedicated to Pratt's ideal library and inspirations.

In Riccione, Villa Mussolini hosts MARE MAGNUM: From Ferdinando Scianna to Martin Parr, a new photographic exhibition that transforms the sea into a visual archive of human types. Curated by Andréa Holzherr, the exhibition brings together the perspectives of eight great photographers from the Magnum Photos agency, including Bruce Gilden, Olivia Arthur and Harry Gruyaert. Their images depict beaches around the world, capturing moments of play, solitude, waiting and daily rituals. A journey across seas near and far, with a particular focus on the Adriatic, in which each photograph becomes a document and a source of nostalgia.

This year, Gardaland celebrates 50 years of excitement, adventure and dreams come true. An important milestone, which also marks the beginning of a new chapter: with immersive experiences and new attractions such as Animal Treasure Island and Dragon Empire, the park looks to the future without forgetting its history. ‘Fifty Stars’, the song created specifically for the anniversary, captures the spirit of the park, which is all about innovation and imagination. Two exclusive special edition creations by THUN also pay tribute to the iconic Prezzemolo character.

Credits: Life, Artribune, Cong Pratt, Civita, Gardaland.

What role does heritage play in building the future of a business?

We explored this question together on 5 June at Gallerie d'Italia Torino during Archivissima, at a meeting dedicated to memory as a strategic resource for tackling present and future challenges, together with Antonio Calabrò, President of Museimpresa; Andrea Montorio, CEO of Promemoria Group; Sergio De Luca, Central Director of Communication and Image at Confcommercio-Imprese per l'Italia; Igino Morini, Head of Territorial and Tourist Promotion at the Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese Consortium; Federica Di Pillo, Head of Communication & External Relations at the American Chamber of Commerce in Italy; and Claudia Fiasca, Heritage Coordination at the Leonardo Foundation.

An afternoon of dialogue and discussion on the value of historical archives as assets for preserving know-how, generating new opportunities for development and innovation, strengthening brand identity and passing it on to new generations. Watch the video of the meeting.