Almost sixty years
of lighting culture,
and a song by
Domenico Modugno
I
n 1959, with a courage and determination
seldom found nowadays, the Italian people
reconstructed a territory that had recently
emerged from the darkness of war and the
rubble of post-war, to contribute to the
economic and social revival of the nation.
It was almost a Keynesian “push” shared by
all, and many achievements became
milestones that were admired by the rest of
the world. Some examples of this, among
many others: The Sun Motorway, a
masterpiece of civil engineering; the young
researchers led by Mario Tchou, creating Elea
9003 for Olivetti, the world’s first
commercialised computer built entirely with
solid-state components (transistors and
diodes), awarded with the Golden Compass
in 1959 thanks to Sottsass’s innovative design.
Or the first Piaggio Vespa, immortalized by
Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck in Roman
Holiday; one of the most beautiful scenes
of the international cinema, and among the
most famous Italian industrial design
products. Furthermore, let us not forget that,
in 1966, Italy was in third place among
Western countries for nuclear power after the
USA and Great Britain.
Even the cities lit up with new illuminations
and, in those magical years, seven important
figures in the Italian world of lighting decided
to create AIDI on a spring day, 6th April 1959,
in Milan. Their names: Piero Anfossi,
Lino Richard, Filippo Carati, Ugo Pollice,
Giovanni Cova, Ugo Fuccinelli, Ariberto Tibaldi,
and Renzo Grandi. I met some of these
characters as a young man, like Carati and
Tibaldi – I would have liked to meet others,
such as Ugo Pollice, as he is almost family,
as well as Lino Richard.
From this enchanting Italian pioneering story,
LUCE magazine was also born. Albeit different
to how it once was, like most things, with
directors who masterfully led it over the years
with the aim of supporting, using intelligence
and culture, a new industry that will develop
over the following decades into various forms
and technologies.
That very light, which will illuminate our cities
and homes, our artistic and monumental
heritage, will be contaminated more and more
by other disciplines and arts.
The president of AIDI, Gian Paolo Roscio, on the
pages opening LUCE 330, writes:
“Sixty years of history represent a long walk,
and an incentive to continue pursuing the
same objectives that pushed men and
companies to establish it in 1959. Now that
AIDI’s anniversary is concluded, on the eve of
2020, I give my greatest thanks to all those
who, in various roles, have worked in all these
years towards the life and success of the
Association.” He then adds, “A commitment,
our commitment, also for its future”.
On the verge of the New Year, leaving this
important anniversary behind and seeing the
next one on the horizon, 60 years of LUCE,
founded by AIDI in 1962, I cannot but observe
how the long and legendary story of this
Association traversed emotions, values, and
visions. Men and women, scholars and
entrepreneurs, who not only professionally, as
well as humanly, enriched generations of
youth, leading us all towards an illuminated
journey that was beautiful and exciting to
cover, but also gave light to Italy!
My best wishes go out to all of us. Perhaps that
of being able to once again sing, with the
same enthusiasm of those times, a song that
could never be forgotten, written by Migliacci
and Modugno in 1958: Volare… nel blu dipinto
di blu... E volavo, volavo felice più in alto del
sole. A flying that what we shall all rediscover,
believing in ourselves and in our country.
In dedication to my dear readers, these are
my sincere hopes for the New Year.
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