The verse Nessuno mi pettina bene come il vento, which literally translates as ‘No one combs me as well as the wind’ in English, is a wonderful and captivating creation of renowned and beloved Italian poet Alda Merini. It is imprinted on the staircase of the “Galleria Nazionale d’Arte Moderna” in Rome, which I visited with several other students of I.I.S. Majorana-Maitani a couple of weeks ago with relation to a CLIL art project.
Art gallery director Cristina Collu says that “these are the magical words of metaphor, the true words of poetry. They are disruptive particle accelerators of meaning that reveal and amplify the fact that we belong to nature as well as our deep connection with the cosmos, which responds to a series mysterious and unpredictable dynamics.”
This verse gave us a truly warm welcome, inviting all of us to stop for a second and open our minds and hearts to the most intimate and mysterious thing known to man: Art. On the 19th of January 2024, three of our 5th-year classes—5L2, 5L3 and 5S2—climbed the staircase that welcomed them with this deep and poetic quote as they started an amazing journey of Art and English. We were divided in small groups and each group was assigned a specific topic.
The purpose of our visit to the Galleria Nazionale d’Arte Moderna was for each group of students to identify the works of art that best represent the topic. We had an incredibly wide choice, given the fact that the gallery boasts a great many rooms. The topics were war and suffering, the role of women, natural and metaphysical time, the myth of Hercules and Lycae. As we immersed ourselves in the gallery's diverse collection, we uncovered layers of history, emotion, and humanity within each artwork. Through collaborative discussion and analysis, we delved deeper into the significance of the pieces, gaining a profound appreciation for the power of visual storytelling and its resonance across different artists.
Our journey through the Galleria Nazionale d’Arte Moderna not only expanded our understanding of art but also fostered empathy and introspection. By engaging with such themes as conflict, pain, identity, and the different natures of time, we were challenged to reflect on our own experiences and perceptions, forging connections that transcended language.
This was such a unique and captivating project. Not only did it give us the opportunity to truly observe and experience several masterpieces, but also to understand their nature and meaning. In addition, we worked with one another and learnt the subtle art of making connections as we learnt to analyse, interpret and eventually elaborate on our chosen works of art in English. Our day at the National Gallery was an extremely meaningful and inspiring adventure that paved the way to a new approach to art, one that is more direct, dynamic and all-encompassing.
Vassijlisa, classe 5L2
