Heritage Landscapes vol.38

The hegemony of big media, from print media to the latest social networks, has transformed communication into something increasingly uniform and standardised, yet it was not always so.

Between the 1960s and 1970s, an alternative publishing system was born that gave birth to newspapers, magazines and self-published sheets by feminist collectives, African-American activists, LGBT movements, pacifists, radical students and many others. It was a handcrafted and powerful press that created a sense of community and helped shape new social thinking.

Today, many of these testimonies are preserved in Independent Voices, an open access archive that collects hundreds of digitised periodicals produced between 1951 and 2016. Journals that offer a valuable insight into the countercultural communication of the second half of the 20th century, representing not only a historical testimony, but also a source of inspiration for the future of the independent press, because, as we know, archives are not only custodians of the past, but also help us imagine alternative paths for the future.

“Hundreds of radical underground newspapers that proliferated during the Vietnam war educated and politicized young people, helped to shore up activist communities, and were the movement’s primary means of internal communication.”

— John McMillian, historian

In Milan, in the heart of Brera, Franco Jacassi guards a treasure: the Vintage Delirium, a unique archive with thousands of garments, fabrics and over 70,000 buttons. Born as a gallery owner, Jacassi has become a key figure in international fashion, inspiring maisons such as Fendi and Valentino. The ground floor houses historical pieces that are accessible to the public, while the basement hides a precious treasure trove of magazines, sketches and fabrics. His passion stems from a childhood game and now translates into museum loans, collaborations and encyclopaedic knowledge, making Jacassi a fashion storyteller, convinced that “paper does not betray”.

In 1995, the release of Toy Story revolutionised animation forever: Pixar's first CGI film, directed by John Lasseter, ushered in a new era for cinema. Irony and friendship, combined with Randy Newman's score and a brilliant screenplay earned the film the Special Achievement Oscar, immediately winning the hearts of adults and children alike. Thirty years after its release, Pixar has decided to celebrate its masterpiece with a commemorative video. Also on the official website, you can explore the background and genesis of this wonderful world that taught us to look at toys with different eyes.

Some icons never cease to amaze us, while maintaining their sober elegance: this is the case of Frog, an armchair designed by Piero Lissoni for Living Divani in 1995, which celebrates 30 years of history this year. For the anniversary, Super Frog has been created, a new version that enhances its flowing lines and imposing character with an aluminium structure, but without affecting its soul. In its weave, its relaxed posture and its ability to fit casually into any environment, one finds a design philosophy that has made simplicity and essentiality its hallmark. Frog thus becomes a silent manifesto of elegance, comfort and vision.

Credits: Jstor, Grazia, Pixar, Living Divani.

From 5 to 8 June, Archivissima was held, the festival that every year celebrates the value of archives as places of memory, but also of vision.

The 2025 edition was extraordinarily well attended: almost 500 organisations from all 20 Italian regions, 45 territorial or thematic networks, 200 in-presence events spread across the country, a live programme in Turin, and hundreds of unpublished digital content. These numbers confirm Archivissima as a great festival for archives, the only one in Italy and Europe capable of promoting and enhancing archival heritage in all its forms.

Watch the video with the highlights of the event!