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Globe: Berlusconi's Viagra

wyliepoon

wyliepoon

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Berlusconi's Viagra

Eric Reguly, today at 7:00 AM EDT



Daniel Libeskind's architectural creations have been welcomed all over the world, from Toronto (the ROM's new crystal) to Berlin (the Jewish Museum). Looks like the Polish-born American will not be able to add Italy to the list, thanks to the finely tuned artistic sensibilities of prime minister Silvio Berlusconi.

The other day, Mr. Libeskind unveiled plans for an art museum and office tower, called the Fiera Milano exhibition centre, near central Milan, which features a tower bent in the middle. Quoted in Italian newspaper Il Corriere della Sera, Mr. Berlusconi said the building's shape emanated “a sense of impotence.â€

Italy's best-known living writer, Umberto Eco, supported the prime minister's views with some light-hearted sexual allusions of his own: “Milan is full of people with crooked members. There will be simply one more in need of Viagra.â€

Mr. Libeskind didn't see the humour and escalated the war. Quoted in the same newspaper, he indelicately accused Mr. Berlusconi of harbouring fascist ideology. “In Fascist Italy, everything that is not ‘straight' was considered ‘perverse art,'†he said. “My tower is inspired by the work of Leonardo da Vinci and great Italian culture. [Mr. Berlusconi] does not have the time or intellect to study these. As an American and Jew brought up in Poland, I find Berlusconi abominable. His concept of nationalism, of closing borders and denying what's different, is repugnant. He hates foreigners.â€

Mamma mia!

Milan, Mr. Belusconi's home town, is now full of rumours that planning permission for the Libeskind design will be yanked. Vittorio Sgarbi, a former culture adviser to the City of Milan, told the Italian magazine Il Giornale dell'Arte: “I don't think the Prime Minister will let him [Libeskind] proceed with his skyscraper or his museum unless he apologizes.â€

As of this morning, there was no apology from either side. Looks like nothing, not even architectural Viagra, will save Mr. Libeskind's limp tower.

080623milan.jpg
 
Thanks for posting this wylie! It's too funny.

As to Mr. Belusconi - well well, his political history is what reeks of impotence.

AoD
 
Who knew Peyronie's disease was an architectural affliction in Italy?
 
Robaxacet Platinum, for all your architectural backaches.
 
Except that those negative comments aren't really by Torontonians. This is definitely one of the best:

steve allan from Welland, Ontario, Canada writes: It's rare that I agree with Berlusconi but this is one of them. As one poster already said - Libeskind is a fraud. Take a look at his work and there isn't one building that is pleasing to the eye. He's a promoter of eyesore architecture. Mind you he's popular in Toronto and that says all you need to know about that city!
Click to expand...

AoD
 
I'm always amazed by how the most fervent hatred of Toronto often comes from cities in our own economic orbit.

I guess Steve Allan thinks New York, Berlin and London are equally horrid places.
 
Darkstar416 said:
Reading the G&M comments, you'd think Toronto was unified in its hatred for Liebeskind's ROM addition.
Click to expand...

I think it's quietly become blog-comment standard to be a lunatic-fringe modern-hater when it comes to architecture...
 
I actually think Libeskind's tower is ugg. It does look flaccid, as if someone forgot to properly inflate it. When I first saw the collection of buildings, I thought it looked as if they all had some disfigurement; one was doubled over in pain, another on crutches, and the third with a warped spine. I want to nurse them back to health, not so much live or work inside them.
 
Darkstar416 said:
Indeed, the blog-standard lunatic-fringe modern-hater has become the bog standard.
Click to expand...

If they've become the standard sentiment, then doesn't that imply that it isn't the lunatic-fringe?

I think it's disingenuous to reframe criticism of Libeskind as being anti-modern. His buildings are hardly intended to be universally loved, they're almost always polarizing works.
 
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