In his speech at the third dialogue of the China-Europe-America Museums Cooperation Initiative, Paolo Tassinari, an Italian graphic designer, highlights the enduring power of writing as a communication tool in the realm of culture. He discussed how design can bridge linguistic and cultural gaps, acting as a unifying force. He also showcased design projects where typography plays a pivotal role in capturing the essence of historical artifacts, creating a unique contemporary visual language that enhances the identity of cities and the spirit of citizens.

An unwavering designer, Paolo Tassinari has linked the name of the studio he co-founded in 1981, TassinariVetta, to the visual communication for culture and institutions cooperating with major institutions in Italy and Europe: the Italian Ministry of Culture, the Venice Biennale, the Centre Pompidou, the Milan Triennale, the Holy See. Art director of Casabella international architectural magazine over 20+ years, currently visiting professor at the International School for Advanced Studies in Trieste – one of the top higher education institutions in Italy –, he held public roles in the cultural sector. A member of the AGI Alliance Graphique Internationale since 2005 and current president of the Italian group, he was awarded the ADI Compasso d’Oro prize in 2011.

Full text of the speech

Good afternoon and good morning. My name is Paolo Tassinari, and I’m addressing you from Italy. As a graphic designer, I spent some 40 years working mainly in design for culture, dealing with different media and technologies, but always understanding design as process.

Speaking about museums and technologies, I would like to draw your attention to a very unique kind of communication technology widely used in the cultural sector, namely writing. We have to acknowledge that 5000 years after its invention, writing is still one of the most powerful means of communication available to us. From handwriting to epigraphy, from typography to digital, writing still is at the centre of our world, together with its rules and shapes.

The first stop of our short journey into communication for cultural heritage will then be in the heart of Rome.

The Vittoriano complex is named after Vittorio Emanuele, the first monarch of unified Italy. It was built between 1880 and 1910. It symbolizes the history and identity of Italy, and it hosts the monument to the Unknown Soldier.

The gentleman in the foreground is the President of the Italian Republic, descending the Altar of the Fatherland all by himself, after a ceremony during the COVID-19 lockdown in 2020.

On the left is Vittoriano, and on your right side, you can see Palazzo Venezia: the residence of Popes during the Renaissance, an important museum of fine and applied arts, and also the seat of the government during the fascist years.

The two landmarks are connected in a new institution called VIVE – I quote from the mission statement, “The Institute, a symbol of the Republic and its constitutional values, protects and enhances its architecture, its decorative elements and its collection, primarily through research and study; the Institute also promotes their public use, with a view to a full and modern education towards an active, democratic and European citizenship.”

So, as designer in charge of the new visual identity, our task is to connect two very different entities, so as to make them speak with one voice. And just like every voice has its timbre, every writing has its own form.

Civium Libertati, Patriae Unitati: a commitment to the freedom of citizens, to the unity of homeland. Out of many others on the building, these two inscriptions are the starting point in our typographical research.

Two different typefaces tell us of different ages, whereas the matching proportions of design – they both belong to the same “typeface family” – allow the two syllables to coexist harmoniously.

Colour and texture palettes inspired by the buildings and by its historical frieze complement the graphic apparatus, resulting in a subtle and dynamic visual environment.

Our visual communication language shall be able to fill gaps: language, culture gaps among all. It shall be able to act as a bridge. We will speak a contemporary language, with the roots in our past. We will be open and inclusive.

These are our principles. And we design this way.

Typography can take the leading role, too. In Brescia, the historical city in northern Italy, Vittoria Alata 2020 is a cultural project aimed to transform the restoration of the city’s iconic Roman statue into an opportunity for civic growth. A new set-up for the statue in a renovated museum, but also a two-year program of events, that in the end proved to be the engine of post-pandemic recovery through culture. For us as designers an opportunity to design an open program of visual identity and cultural communication.

“I never saw anything more beautiful” are the words of a renowned scholar, speaking of the incredible Roman bronze statue just come to light during excavations of the Capitolium in Brescia, in 1822. Unfortunately, at the time we start designing – or thankfully, maybe – the beautiful object of communication is not available, being under restoration in the Opificio delle Pietre Dure in Florence.

So, we start working over a 3D scientific model, with the aim to develop a new digital and contemporary iconography from it. Classical beauty and scientific imaging evolve together into a contemporary and accessible visual language open to improvisation, as in a contemporary musical score. From posters to low-market merchandising or post stamps, they all cooperate to create a unique visual environment, to enhance the identity of the city and the spirit of the citizens.

These are our principles. And we design this way. Thank you.