Art and Culture

Art and culture play a strategic role in promoting the sustainable development of local areas and communities. The value generated by culture is intrinsically sustainable because it is geared towards the long term, projecting Italy’s historical, social, artistic and cultural legacy into the future and returning it to new generations.

 

Museum of industrial culture

 

Art collections

 Km

Historical archives

 

Background and our activity

On this basis, CDP promotes initiatives that enhance its artistic heritage and partnerships that have a high social, economic and cultural impact on local areas and communities, involving wider society and stakeholders. Sustainability goes hand-in-hand with responsibility: for this reason, culture and artistic heritage form an integral part of the corporate social responsibility that CDP aims to foster as part of a broader programme of initiatives that combine environmental, social and governance principles.

In 2019 CDP launched a large-scale programme to reorganise, recover, digitise and use its artistic heritage and archives, contributing an analysis of the relationship between art and business to promote Italian industrial culture.

 

The CDP Museum: journeys through art and industry

The CDP Museum brings together its art collections and historical archives by embodying the principles and values expressed in the new definition of a museum, approved in Prague on 24 August 2022 by the Extraordinary General Assembly of the  International Council of Museums (ICOM), the main international non-governmental organisation representing museums and museum professionals:

"A museum is a not-for-profit, permanent institution in the service of society that researches, collects, conserves, interprets and exhibits tangible and intangible heritage. Open to the public, accessible and inclusive, museums foster diversity and sustainability. They operate and communicate ethically, professionally and with the participation of communities, offering varied experiences for education, enjoyment, reflection and knowledge sharing."

Our museum explores the most human and innovative side of industry through the eyes of master practitioners such as Afro, Capogrossi, Carmi, Dorazio, Pepper, Gentilini, Pomodoro, Vedova and Vespignani.


The CDP Group’s collections

 

Civiltà delle Macchine

The Civiltà delle Macchine (Civilisation of Machines) magazine, founded in 1953 by Finmeccanica, made it possible to trace a series of works of art, owned by Fintecna – CDP Group, which establish a dialogue between creativity and industry, and art and work. 

Ancient Art

The nucleus of works originates from the Monte di Pietà, a financial institution established in Italy around the middle of the 15th century, to liberate the less affluent classes from usury. Loans were made in exchange for a pledge in lieu of security, and the works in the collection, created between the 17th and 19th centuries, are a precious historical and artistic testimony to the arrangement.

Masters of Industry

The artistic masterpieces in this collection, owned by Fintecna – CDP Group, tell the story of an era of corporate patronage that pursued the goal of restoring a human and creative dimension to factories. These are works that come from direct experience with industrial materials in steelworks, nourished through the inspirational and collaborative relationship of the artists with the workers.

Industrial Objects

The relationship between industrial objects and design and between functionality and beauty inspires a museum installation that establishes a dialogue between a series of mechanical objects and components representing the CDP Group's investee companies and a gallery of photographs – historical and contemporary – that narrate the technological evolution and innovation in production processes that the companies themselves have developed over the years.

Contemporary Art

The nucleus of contemporary art was established thanks to two initiatives promoted by Fondazione CDP: We Love Art, created in collaboration with MAECI (Italy’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation), with works inspired by the relationship of eight young artists with construction sites and materials belonging to CDP Group's investee companies; and Teogonia, which, in collaboration with the Giorgio and Isa De Chirico Foundation, involved the artists in an encounter with the Theogony myth.

Fintecna – CDP Group Historical Archive

Fund that collects documents, photographic reportages, editorial and video content made between the 1930s and 1990s and declared to be of significant historical interest by the Archival Superintendence of the Lazio region. Of considerable value is the nucleus from the Civiltà delle Macchine magazine whose 130 volumes, originally published between 1953 and 1979, have been digitised

 

Artistic-cultural partnerships

We support the projects of important cultural institutions with a presence throughout the country, promoting sustainability and social inclusion, by organising training activity and artistic productions that enable the next generation access to the world of culture, art and music.

 

Leonardo da Vinci National Museum of Science and Technology in Milan

Support for the Future Inventors programme, a digital culture laboratory for children dedicated to exploring STEAM subjects. The partnership will make possible a new digital and artistic installation in the laboratory.

Egyptian Museum in Turin

Support for Scuola Museo A/R, the Museum’s first educational project for schools in the suburbs. The initiative involves making a free transport service available for schools on the outskirts of Turin, as well as educational activities that include a guided tour of the collections and a competition for ideas aimed at children.

Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia in Rome

CDP is the exclusive partner for the school of Alta Formazione of the Accademia for young musicians who intend to pursue a professional career. Its specialisation courses in musical studies are recognised by the Italian Ministry of Education.

Maxxi L’Aquila

The partnership with MAXXI has been renewed and saw the inauguration of the L'Aquila headquarters in 2021 at Palazzo Ardinghelli, owned by the MIC. In 2022, CDP's support was focused on a project to provide temporary residencies for artists.

Teatro Massimo in Palermo

CDP is the exclusive partner of the Theatre's two youth orchestras, the Youth Orchestra and the Kids’ Orchestra.