Pier Paolo Pasolini – “Jack of all trades, master of all” – one of Italy’s most remarkable intellectuals.

Pasolini was an auteur with a very hands-on approach in politics, philosophy, art and of course, film. 

If you type the words, “100th birth anniversary of Pasolini” you get dozens of pages on Google, including an article on “Pasolini 100, the great festival in Florence”. Pasolini 100, the largest Italian retrospective dedicated to the director, screenwriter, scholar, poet, and painter will be running until 9 June.  I’d say don’t miss this incredible artistic journey through Pasolini’s eyes if you have a trip planned to Firenze in the next week. Italians really do know how to put on a good show. In bocca al lupo.

Going through the search results on Google, most of the articles are about Pasolini’s unsolved murder. Who killed Pasolini? Death is always surrounded by intrigue.

It is human nature to be curious. To be curious is a wonderful thing as long as what you are curious about has any meaning or importance.

I think what’s more important than who killed Pasolini is how he managed to stay alive for as long as he did. A man of truth cannot survive in a society of deceit and lies.

Above all, I wish that humans were more preoccupied with the death of our society and our “freedoms” than mindless drivel.

To quote from Pasolini, “I don't believe we shall ever again have any form of society in which men will be free. One should not hope for it. One should not hope for anything. Hope is invented by politicians to keep the electorate happy.”

Nothing could be truer.

Let me be frank, too. During his lifetime, Pasolini was crowned with splendorous recognition neither by his countrymen nor by the international arts scene.  To live as a gay man, let alone an artist and filmmaker in 1950s and 60s Italy must have been more than trying. Our sexuality and politics go hand in hand as did Pasolini’s. To celebrate Pasolini and his work on his 100th birthday is a rather humble gesture for a man who contributed so greatly to 20th century Italian art and culture.

How many more Pasolini’s will it take for society to open its eyes and bring an end to this senseless disillusion?

There is an ongoing pandemic of ignorance.

There comes a time when people that used to be frowned upon get crowned, paraded and adored. Retrospective exhibition openings, cinema screenings, readings by candlelight accompanied by prosecco and whispery gossip, gossimer laughter, 60 year-old men hitting on 20 year-old assistants striving to climb up the career ladder at soirees, revolting images of human greed, fake relationships and deep back-stabbing. This is the truth behind the global art and culture industry that is currently worth billions. No-one really knows how big this ogre is. Some see its head and others its toes. One never ever gets the full picture. Although, one thing is for sure, its appetite is insatiable.  

An extremely well-oiled machine with gears that keep turning despite all sorts of cultural or political upheaval. Grazie Medici! (No, I am not talking about the TV series).

On another note,  Ukraine won the Eurovision Song Contest 2022, the grand final of which took place in Turin a couple of weeks ago. What a great way to boost morale in Ukraine. What a noble and democratic competition in a world of great fairness and good order. They say the end to war is in sight but Ukraine maintains its demand for more arms. This is a  dark and cold tunnel, much like most of history. Yet in Lviv, Ukraine’s beating cultural heart and its sixth largest city, galleries and exhibition spaces are open for business as usual. So perhaps I am wrong to doubt that Ukraine will be able to host the Eurovision Song Contest 2023. Or perhaps, they won’t be able to due to several imaginable factors and the honour of doing so will fall on the runner-up... The UK. Of course. What a wonderful "cultural" exchange that would be.  Never say never.

According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, 10 million Ukrainians have now fled their homes. They have been forced into a race to establish “new lives” elsewhere in Europe. Little do they know, they might end up in Rwanda should they set their hearts on immigrating to the UK without "authorisation".

In this world, one should not hope for anything.

Instead, make your lemons into lemonade.

Buona limonata!

N.B: If you would like to delve deeper into Pier Paolo Pasolini's world, I highly recommend that you peruse "The Long Road of Sand" accompanied with photographs by Phillipe Séclier and published by Contrasto in 2015.