Alfa Romeo's DNA "lights up" the weekend of museums in Milan
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From 3 to 5 March, on the occasion of Milano MuseoCity, a monumental lighting installation at Museo di Arese will tell Alfa Romeo's story
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15 metres tall, it represents the essence of the Brand, in a spectacle of lights and signs revealing the most iconic cars
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On Saturday, 4 March, extraordinary opening of the Museum until midnight, in a yet unseen "Lights off" version
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A programme packed with events throughout the weekend, from Formula 1 to the tribute to Autodelta on its 60th anniversary
Speed, beauty, and an industrial history lasting 113 years: how can you represent the distinctive traits of a brand like Alfa Romeo by means of an "object" that is not one single car, but something that could ideally represent them all? The answer can be found at the Museo Alfa Romeo, and it is a monumental lighting installation called DNA, which, with its fifteen metres in height, runs through all the floors which display the cars that made the brand's history.
DNA, a synthesis of Alfa Romeo's identity
Design by the Alfa Romeo Style Centre and made by iGuzzini lighting, DNA will be the protagonist of MuseoCity, an event organised by the Municipality of Milan involving 90 cultural institutions in the Lombardy region during one weekend – from 3 to 5 March – dedicated to the rediscovery of less-known works which are linked to a specific theme each year. The theme of the 2023 edition is "The Light of Museums", a perfect occasion to tell the story of a piece that is not a simple light source, but rather the very essence of the brand.
DNA is a 15-metre-tall cylindrical structure, 4 metres in diameter, made up of various elements in steel, plexiglass and light sources – 150 lighting elements containing 8,192 LED segments, 1,500 metres of cables. It is a strong presence in the space that hosts it, but also dynamic and light, with a descending vortex which, in an alternation of lights that are switched on and off, creates a dance of light and connects the different elements with each other. In fact, inside the installation is an actual cascade of letters making up the names of the all-time most iconic models – from the Disco Volante to the 33 Stradale, from the 8C 2900B Speciale le Mans to the "Duetto" – in addition to certain stylistic features like the unmistakable V on the grille, made on metal moulds painted in Alfa Romeo red, and curved lighting elements in various lengths that descend in a succession from the Museum's glass ceiling down to the floor. A sophisticated technological system governs this spectacle of light, which can be modulated in different scenarios depending on the desired effect: from a heartbeat pounding in the cylinder to a trail of light flashes chasing each other on the external perimeter.
During the MuseoCity weekend, visitors of the Museo Alfa Romeo will be invited to change their perspective and discover the history of Alfa Romeo precisely through its DNA, as they let themselves be guided by the iconic elements in the installation.
"Lights off" at the Museum
The DNA installation will also be the absolute star of the evening of Saturday, 4 March, when, at the museum's regular closing time, all other lights will be switched off and the cars of the Biscione will be lit up only by the intermittent lights of the installation in an event called "Lights off", with extraordinary opening of the Museum until midnight. Visitors will have a chance to experience a unique moment, where the darkness highlights the sinuous shapes of the bodyworks, and details come alive only thanks to the light of visitors' flashlights. A unique occasion to have suggestive "encounters" with great personalities of the past – from Nuvolari to Fangio, from Carlo Chiti to Enzo Ferrari – emerging like flashes of light from the darkness.
On Saturday 4 March, the Museum will remain open from 10 a.m. to midnight with the Alfa Romeo Caffè offering food and drinks.
From Formula 1 to Autodelta
The weekend of 3-5 March will be further enriched by other activities at Museo Alfa Romeo: in addition to guided tours of the exhibition and of the Collection storage rooms, on Sunday 5 March visitors will be able to watch the live broadcast of the Bahrain GP, the first appointment in the 2023 Formula 1 Championship. Also on Sunday, at 2.30 p.m., the Museum will host a parade of Alfa Romeos on its internal track to pay tribute to Autodelta, the legendary race department founded precisely on 5 March, 60 years ago today. After the parade, at 3 p.m., a dedicated Backstage conference will outline and explore the history of Autodelta.
All activities planned for the weekend are free of charge and included in the Museum entrance ticket.
Booking is required for guided tours only:
info@museoalfaromeo.com
The full programme of MuseoCity 2023 can be found on
www.museocity.it
