all photos by Marco BadianiSo, what’s Expo all about? The message we’ve been given is clear: Expo Milano 2015 is the world’s newest temporary theme park. Which means that it must attract and entertain. I decided to visit, so it succeeded in attracting me (me and at least 8.5 million other people). And it entertained me with its fun concepts, seeing how creatives have gone all out to serve up ‘experiences’ in the pavilions.
The highlights: the kaleidoscope of Italian scenery and the digital food heroes in the Italian pavilion. The network—which already connects us all and about which we all want to have our say—of Brazil. The Post-It Wall with wine words in the Vino – A Taste of Italy pavilion. Pavilion Zero with its provocations and prominence. Austria’s breath as food, Japan’s digital rice paddy, the interactive visual recipes of Chile and the remote-controlled beehive of the United Kingdom, the perfumes of the Moroccan pavilion and Belgium’s fries.
Everyone’s moaning about the lines. But queuing is standard for a theme park’s or city’s greatest attractions. You stand in line to climb Brunelleschi’s cupola, as you do to see Botticelli at the Uffizi. In all honesty, my experience was a positive one because I opted to go on a quieter weekday.
And the message about food? It’s a common thread that wears thin, but never- theless it’s visible throughout. Watered down by the need to turn food into a spec- tacle in some cases, over-simplification has weakened the overall message. But at the end of the day, we’ve got to admit that we’re all molto opinionated when it comes to food (believe me, lunch at The Florentine is a prime example of this!), and it’s not easy to attend something like this World’s Fair with a clear mind.
If you were to ask me, ‘Should I go?’ I’d say yes! One day is enough, even with the lines, but in just one day you’d miss Milan. So, stay for two instead and see the novelties of a city that never ceases to increase its internationality.
