In 1959 during the cold war, Soviet president Khrushchev met the U.S. vice president Nixon in a mock up of a modern American kitchen. It was a pseudo “ideal home exhibition” in Moscow designed to promote the capitalist way of life. Presented with the latest modern kitchen gadgets, the Soviet president dismissed technological developments like the electric tin opener as `gimmicks’. He went on to tell the audience that the communist system would instead channel its resources into things that were more fundamental to life that would ultimately produce a more egalitarian society.
When the cold war was lost and communism collapsed in the early 1990’s, it was arguably partly because of this decision. The disillusioned population of the bankrupted Soviet Union rejected a society that promised equality for all in favour of a culture that gave them gimmicks.
In 1959 during the cold war, Soviet president Khrushchev met the U.S. vice president Nixon in a mock up of a modern American kitchen. It was a pseudo “ideal home exhibition” in Moscow designed to promote the capitalist way of life. Presented with the latest modern kitchen gadgets, the Soviet president dismissed technological developments like the electric tin opener as `gimmicks’. He went on to tell the audience that the communist system would instead channel its resources into things that were more fundamental to life that would ultimately produce a more egalitarian society.
When the cold war was lost and communism collapsed in the early 1990’s, it was arguably partly because of this decision. The disillusioned population of the bankrupted Soviet Union rejected a society that promised equality for all in favour of a culture that gave them gimmicks.
Image: My car parked outside the Michelotti Design studios Turin, Italy. Photo. Priscila Buschinelli
Growing up during the cold war, my family’s ultimate consumer purchase was the first and only time my father bought a `new’ car instead of a second hand one. It was a Triumph Herald; coincidentally designed in 1959. The car is of great personal significance to me because my father bought it when my mother found out she was pregnant with her second child – me.
I had always assumed that the car was quintessentially British but it was actually designed by an Italian in Turin.
Growing up during the cold war, my family’s ultimate consumer purchase was the first and only time my father bought a `new’ car instead of a second hand one. It was a Triumph Herald; coincidentally designed in 1959. The car is of great personal significance to me because my father bought it when my mother found out she was pregnant with her second child – me.
I had always assumed that the car was quintessentially British but it was actually designed by an Italian in Turin.
Image : Dad leaning on the car, Mersea Island, 1979.
My father taught me how to repair and service it and we managed to keep it working for far longer than it was designed to last and consequently I still own it to this day. Inevitably the car has a lot of personal history attached to it and in our family photo album there are quite a few images of the car through the years.
Image: Dad leaning on a tank somewhere in Italy, 1945
The photo album is unusual in that the oldest photos start in the 1940s with images of my father as a soldier in Italy during world war two. These images are black and white and contrast with the relatively newer colour images in the album of our family car. The black and white images, from a world before our consumer society, accentuate the sense of other worldliness of that time and place.
Image: Approaching the town of Predappio, Mussolini's birthplace. My dad was part of the occupation force, 1944/45.
Photo. Priscila Buschinelli
I drove to Italy in our family car trying to find the illusory places in the black and white pictures in our family photo album.
Image: Reflection of my car parked in front of a Neo Fascist souvenir shop window in Predappio Italy.
Uncomfortable appropriation by our contemporary consumer culture.
Repairing the car, replacing the differential.
Photo Priscila Buschinelli
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Getting the engine started for the first time in three years.
Photo: Priscila Buschinelli
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Attached to the dashboard was this 2 inch long plastic plaque that had been fixed there by the dealership that sold the car to my dad.
In its 45 year history the car rarely travelled far from where it was bought.
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The rusty archaeological finds from behind the rear seat.
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Entering Rome. Piazza Venezia
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General Mark Clark enters Rome in 1945.
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Image: King George VI visits the troops in Italy. Standing next to him his General Mark Clark and to his left is the British General Alexander, supreme allied commander in the Mediterranean. Film: The opening image of this film from "All Roads Leads to Rome " is of the Polish war cemetery at Monte Cassino. This allied victory (Battle of Monte cassino) ultimately opened the road to Rome but the chance for the complete surrender of the Nazi forces in Italy was lost as the high command focused on the glory of taking Rome instead of trapping the retreating enemy. As a consequence, despite Rome's capture, the war lasted another year. The film starts in "Alexander road", the road I grew up in. Built after the war it was named after the supreme allied commander in the Mediteranean- General Alexander.
Piazale Loreto, Milan Italy. April 1945.
The bodies of Mussolini and other fascist leaders are hung from the canopy of the an Esso petrol station.
Dad said he was somewhere in the
crowd.
Piazzale Loreto , Milan Italy. April 2013
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Across the road from the Esso petrol station was the Upim department store.
The old Upim building today, photographed from the window of the Triumph Herald.
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Mussolini Toy Garage Set |
Edinburgh Festival 2013
The festival was an early platform for the show but it also altered the show quite considerably. Without giving away the ending- the festival became part of the story.
The festival was an early platform for the show but it also altered the show quite considerably. Without giving away the ending- the festival became part of the story.
Crossing the border into Scotland on my way to the Edinburgh Fringe festival.
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St Mary's Street, Edinburgh. Over the road from the Hunt and Darton cafe. Marketing. Flyering and blackboards fitted in the rear side windows of the car.
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Original advert for the Triumph Herald estate, early 1960's.
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Unloading outside the Hunt and Darton cafe-(I am leaning on an artwork made from a fridge freezer. The television on the table is part of it to. I use this piece on stage in the show. For more information and images of this piece follow this link to 'Cold war monument'). The other item on the ground is the artwork 'How we won the war'. This is used as a foyer piece. Photo Calum Macmilan
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Performing "All Roads Lead to Rome" in 'Hunt and Darton cafe', leaning on the artwork 'Cold war monument'
Photo Ed Hobbs.
Performing "All Roads Lead to Rome" in 'Hunt and Darton cafe', leaning on the artwork 'Cold war monument'
Photo Ed Hobbs.
Mum and dad with me as a baby having a picnic in front of the car. I'm guessing my older brother must have taken the photo.
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Jeep destroyed in world war two, 1945
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