The bookshelf, a first for a museum in Rome and in Italy, is a library specializing in international art publishing for children with monographs on artists, essays on art history, illustrated volumes, books of experiments, catalogues and a wealth of other material.
The bookshelf begins with a section devoted to Bruno Munari, a unique artist in the panorama of Italian 20th century art who is an expert in dialoguing with children, devising ways and means of attracting them to the world of art, offering splendid opportunities for their visual education to foster a new quality of life. Alongside Munari we find books on the history of art, biographies of artists and monographs on periods and styles. A separate section is devoted to the 20th century, in particular to the cultural changes that marked the last century ranging from painting and sculpture to photography, graphic art, design and architecture, in a direct debate with contemporary art. The books narrate the history of art but, at the same time, they provide an opportunity to explore thematic issues, to discover impressions and atmospheres, and to conducting a host of activities. Alongside a section devoted to texts documenting the PdE's temporary exhibitions, bibliographies and suggestions for further reading offer teachers, students, professionals and parents proposals for pursuing their specific interests in greater depth.
The library contains books and illustrated volumes focusing in particular on an exploration of the image, along with stimuli aiming to prompt further discovery. The illustrators include Chiara Carrer, Roberto Innocenti, Lorenzo Mattotti, Kveta Pakovska and Art Spiegelman.
The Bookshelf also hosts specialist magazines and a section devoted to education departments in museums in Italy and abroad. Bibliographies, conference proceedings, brochures and educational files are available for consultation by professionals, teachers and parents, offering important documentation for comparing supply and research in the field of education, and providing a unique opportunity for probing the geography of art. The bookshop also produces publications for specialists and professionals in the field, as well as working broadsheets and a special series dedicated to children and teenagers.
Info
Guide to consulting the Art Bookshelf, from 4.00 p.m. to 6.00 p.m. every Tuesday by appointment only. Inquiries should be sent to this e-mail address: didattica.pde@palaexpo.it.
