© Roberto Alborghetti

I had written, in a previous post, a few months ago, about the popular reaction in London against the attempt to eliminate the characteristic and iconic red telephone booths from public streets. The project was fortunately stopped. The telephone booths have been saved for now. And so there are also those who discovered that one of London’s urban symbols could be used in a creative way.

In my last visit to the London capital I discovered, almost by chance, that in front of the prestigious British Museum, one of the most important in the world, nothing less than an art gallery has been installed in a red telephone booth. Yes just like this. Of course, passers-by often risk not noticing. But this idea of ​​transforming, even a small space, into a small, or rather very small, art gallery, where at a glance you can admire small works of art, is really fun and intelligent.

The name of this unusual gallery is “Visionary Brit Museum”; and already the name, as well as its structure, really make us think of innovative ways to promote art among the people, along the streets. This incredible art gallery features artists from the past and present. Curator and owner is Degard, who found the most economically and funny way to get a property to showcase artworks.

Exhibitions of different artists are hosted regularly and people can visit them for free, of course. Degard has said, “I am acting as a catalyst for an art movement, revitalising visionary art which hasn’t been developed as a genre, and encouraging anyone with a visionary bent to show in the space. My gallery is almost part of the museum experience – and having a photograph taken outside a phone box is part of the London experience”.

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Avevo scritto, in un precedente post, alcuni mesi fa, della reazione popolare di Londra contro il tentativo di eliminare dalle pubbliche vie le caratteristiche ed icononiche cabine rosse del telefono. Il progetto è stato fortunatamente fermato. Le cabine telefoniche si sono per ora salvate. E così c’è anche chi ha scoperto che uno dei simboli urbani di Londra poteva essere utilizzato in forma creativa.

Nella mia ultima visita nella capitale londinese ho scoperto, quasi per caso, che davanti al prestigioso British Museum, uno dei più importanti al mondo, in una rossa cabina telefonica è stata installata nientemeno che una galleria d’arte. Sì, proprio così. Certo, i passanti spesso rischiano di non non accorgersene. Ma è davvero divertente ed intelligente questa idea di trasformare, sia pure uno spazio ristretto, in una piccola, anzi piccolissima, galleria d’arte, dove con un colpo d’occhio puoi ammirare piccoli lavori di arte.

La denominazione di questa insolita galleria è “Visionary Brit Museum”; e già il nome, oltre che la sua struttura, davvero fanno pansare a forme innovative per promuovere l’arte in mezzo alla gente, lungo le strade.