An exhibition of Dynamo Camp, which goes straight to the heart

That beauty can save the world is not a way of saying, it’s a way of “doing”. The Dynamo Arte Foundation bears witness to this with the exhibition that has just opened at the Milan Triennale Art is wow! 15 years of Dynamo Art Factory (until March 26). We visited it together with the curators Diva Moriani and Marco Bazzini and the suggestion is not to miss it: it is free And goes straight to the heartalso thanks to a colorful set-up that is all a surprise.

It begins with a work by the master Michelangelo Pistolettoa sort of infinity symbol (you can see it in the opening photo of the article) under the writing Where there are no limits. And indeed, in this project born within i Dynamo Camp it seems that every barrier and prejudice can be broken down.

Necessary premise: Dynamo Camp was born on the inspiration of the therapeutic fields created by Paul Newman in America to promote in children and young people suffering from serious and very serious pathologies resilience, independence and personal growth with inclusive and challenging activities, from sport to art.

Dynamo claims the right to happiness of children and adolescents and their families by offering free programmes “recreational therapy” which over the years he has theorized (so much so as to have aroused the interest of various universities, including that of San Raffaele in Milan) in the belief that the quality of free time, in the life of a seriously or chronically ill young person, is essential for their health (and for the well-being of those around them). In Limestre, in the province of Pistoia, Dynamo from 16 years has created a camp on a thousand hectares where sick children and young people suffering from about seventy disabling pathologies can have fun (there is also the only climbing structure in Europe that is also suitable for disabled people in wheelchairs).

With his recreational therapy he has achieved so far 87 thousand peoplewith tangible benefits (and has years-long waiting lists: it’s a facility unique in Italy). Dynamo, with its team of specialized personnel (doctors, psychologists, educators, mediators, athletes) is also active with summer camps in Milan and Florencewill soon be a Rome it’s at Genoa and in the future there are plans for Southern Italy, which greatly needs projects inclusive fun (in this regard, all programs were made with 6 and a half million euros, raised thanks to private philanthropy, from individuals and companies: anyone can contribute with donations here).

Among Dynamo’s most original and significant projects is the art factory which for years, thanks to the collaboration of Marco Bazzini, it involves the best Italian and foreign creative talents inviting them to the Camp to set up a dedicated workshop with around a hundred kids divided into small groups to create original works of art, in the belief that true art is such when it also assumes social responsibility, when it knows how to be inclusive.

In all these years over 140 artists have answered the call, over 2000 works have been produced and now at the Triennale we see a significant selection, set up in a convincing way. There are great masters like David Tremlett or Emilio Isgro who composed pieces of absolute poetry with the children.

There are lovely artworks such as canvases by Alfredo Pirri who, working with visually impaired children, has chosen to use a licorice pigment to make the work, or paintings by Omar Hassan who made the boys go wild with his paint painted with boxing gloves. Frances Pascali worked on assemblages of straws, Velasco Vitali engaged the young participants in his canine sculptures made of jute, Andrew Mastrovito he made a drawing on wood starting from the works of disabled children imprisoned at home during the lockdown, Marco Fantini he put the brush in the hands of several boys for a multi-handed canvas.

Alexander Papetti created the background of a magical forest on which each boy involved left an inscription about his wish engraved (and we are moved to read them), Andrea Crespi built one David huge with a hundred lines drawn by as many guys while Gianni Ozzola – and this work is in full view on the grand staircase of the Triennale – gives us a sky dotted with 99 starsone for each boy who participated in the creative project.

To carry out these works, real ones were needed creative and inclusive factories, workshops in which the artists acted without filters, thanks to the help of specialized mediators, to understand how to adequately involve the participants. The beauty that exudes from these works is palpable and tastes of that special happiness that for a few hours children and young people with special needs, and their families with them, have experienced in close contact with art, the real one.