This year, on the 10th anniversary of Giovanni Testori's death, Milan Arts Centre in association with Credito Artigiano and Regione Lombardia settore Cultura, are organising a major cultural event devoted to displaying the works of great Italian writer and playwright Giovanni Testori. The exhibition is being sponsored by Milan local government, the provincial authorities and Lombardy regional government. Giovanni Testori, in fact, has played quite an important role for Milan Arts Centre, contributing his time and talent to the centre since its establishment. The centre exhibition hall contains a rich collection of photographs portraying Giovanni Testori in Milan from the 50s up through the 90s. This vast display is the final result of a careful selection and filing.

Here are images of the city at different historical periods, ranging from Milan as it is described in the novels I Segreti di Milano (Secrets of Milan) and Il Ponte della Ghisolfa (The Bridge of Ghisolfa) by Testori, to Milan as depicted in the movie Rocco e I suoi fratelli (Rocco and his brothers) by Luchino Visconti, Milan at the head of the national reconstruction, Milan during the 1980s and 90s. Milan is the place where Testori met Franca Valeri, Luchino Visconti, Franco Parenti and various actors and artists. This exhibition also focuses on the most intimate aspects of Milan and Testori's art with stunning pieces of art criticism, leading articles published in the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera, exchange of views with young people, support received by writers and artists, the birth of Compagnia PierLombardo and Teatro PierLombardo, Comunione e Liberazione, the establishment of Compagnia degli Incamminati di Branciaroli, debates on major social issues and controversial plays.

Along with the photographs, the show includes a screen projection of excerpts from interviews with Giovanni Testori dating from the 1960s to shortly before his death. This will make the exhibition hall echo with Testori's unmistakable voice.

This exhibition allows visitors to learn more about the life of Giovanni Testori, which is largely regarded as a great 'master' who gave his contribution of knowledge to young people by supporting quite a controversial kind of culture with a number of initiatives and projects aimed at liven up the city. Giovanni Testori wrote these unforgettable words:
"Credo che ci sia un indirizzo infallibile: non sbaglierà, nonostante tutti gli errori, chi avrà voluto bene alla realtà, ossia alla Creazione. Se vuoi bene alla Creazione, puoi anche scrivere o dipingere le cose più tremende: esse sono già salvate dal Creatore fatto carne. Amando la realtà, ci sei dentro, ci vivi già dentro, e abbracci il tuo tema, senza bisogno di fare come facevano i Neorealisti, che dovevano controllare com'è fatta la cucina, com'è fatta la bottiglia, com'è fatta la minestra, e così via. Ma la cucina, la bottiglia, la minestra sono già dentro quell'atto d'amore, basta chiamarli e, tac, ti saltano alla penna, al pennello." (G. Testori)

The exhibition devoted to Giovanni Testori is the first event in a series of upcoming initiatives, among which: "Scrittori di Lombardia, da Manzoni a Testori", "Un Teatro senza autori? Il senso del teatro oggi", featuring Luca Ronconi, Alessandro Baricco, Luca Doninelli.