Media and culture in the Ticino

1. Tv (TSI 1 and 2) and Radio (RSI 1,2,3) in the Ticino view themselves as the main cultural cornerstones here in Ticino.

2. Focusing on culture as well as the regional specifications of a multiethnical Swiss society, are the two priorities the program pursues since its creation. These two priorities are based on a mandate contained in two articles of the Swiss federal law on creation of radio and tv (RTVG). These two articles, article 3 and 46, are directed on the SRG-SSR. Article 3 implies and emphasizes the goal to promote the work on Swiss cultural affairs, thus inspiring viewers and spectators to participate in cultural affairs. Article 26 says that the SRG-SSR in its entity of programs has to take into consideration the specific circumstances of the nation as well as the requirements of the cantons, obliging it to a well balanced creation of the content of its programs.

3. Besides its main clientel in the Ticino TSI1 and 2 have two main clientels they focus on: the people coming from the Ticino but living in other areas of Switzerland, and the high number of north Italian viewers, appreciating a Swiss-Italian program, not giving way to an increasing higher mix of info-entertainment soap dominating their and many other European programs.

4. "Switzerland is on one hand a nation by will of its people but - on the other hand - no Tv-nation", as once stated by the Neue Züricher Zeitung (NZZ). "The mutual conscience of alienation is here independently seen from the language barriers, based on a different perception of TV-entertainment, leading to a manifestation of diversity of different cultures and mentalities.
In spite of this or especially because of that: integration is and remains a difficult task for society, and realizing especially this is the daily assignment for the SRG-SSR."

by Oliver Meissner

Exhibition: Miquel Barceló

We would like to invite you to join us on our stroll through a comparably new but quite successful "temple of culture": "The Museum of Modern Art of the City of Lugano" (Museo d'Arte Moderna della Città di Lugano).

The current exhibition (12th November 2006 - 4th Februrary 2007) displays more than 80 works, paintings and sculptures, of the contemporary Spanish artist Miquel Barceló (*1957). We took a closer look at his biography and his paintings.

The most striking aspect is the mixture of materials Barceló uses to create a certain liveliness in his paintings. For example he "recycles" rice, spaghetti, fibres, straw, sand and newspapers. It was very entertaining to discover what materials were used in the different paintings. The temptation to explore the screens by touching them was therefore tentalising, but the guards of the museum were anxiously aware of this and always close on our heels. Even though his use of materials is unconventional the displayed subjects are derived from everyday life. Therefore the exposed works of art are quite easily accessible, also for laymen (like we consider ourselves). Most of his paintings are realised on huge screens and create the illusion that you easily could "enter" resp. "step inside" them.

For more information

http://www.miquelbarcelo.org/

http://www.mdam.ch/

by Alexandra Sowka and Mona Contzen

The Museum of Modern Art of the City of Lugano

"The Museum of Modern Art of the City of Lugano" (Museo d'Arte Moderna della Città di Lugano) was our first step to explore the cultural side of Lugano.

As you can see, right from the design it's worth to take a look at the building from the outside!

History of the museum

The "Villa Malpensata", constructed in the 18. century, was donated to the city of Lugano in . Used as a museum it exposed different works of art until the city decided in 1990 to reconstruct the buildung and at the same time to change the museum's concept. So, in 1992, the "The Museum of Modern Art of the City of Lugano" opened its doors and focused from then on particularly on the promotion of 20. century art.

Exhibitons

Special attention is drawn to the expressionist movement, with man and his worries in the focus of interest. Previous exhibitions were dedicated to the works of: Emil Nolde (1994), Edward Munch (1998), Ernst Ludwig Kirchner (2000). Collections from the surrealist Marc Chagall and the artistic couple Christo and Jeanne-Claude were also shown.

Our opinion

From our point of view, it is quite remarkable that such a small museum can manage to organise exhibitions with works of art from famous artists and one should defenitely use the opportunity to see great art at close quarters.

Wanna try?

Address

Museo d'Arte Moderna
Riva Caccia 5 6900 Lugano

Contact

Tel. 0041 (0)58 866 7214
Riva Caccia 5
E-mail. info@mdam.ch
www.mdam.ch

Open: Tuesday - Sunday, 9am - 6pm

by Alexandra Sowka and Mona Contzen