Intermedia in Italy: Barbara Burns talks to C. Brook, F. Mussgnug, and G. Pieri about Their New Book

We are excited to share a recent interview with the Principal Investigators of the Interdisciplinary Italy project, Professors Clodagh Brook, Florian Mussgnug, and Giuliana Pieri. The interview, conducted by Barbara Burns, delves into their newly published open-access book, Intermedia in Italy: From Futurism to Digital Convergence (Legenda, Visual Culture series). This publication marks a significant milestone in the project’s exploration of interdisciplinary approaches to Italian culture and art.

In this enlightening conversation, our PIs discuss key concepts and findings from their collaborative research. They explore the meaning and significance of ‘intermediality’ in the Italian artistic context, shedding light on how this concept has evolved from the early 20th century to the present day. The interview highlights the book’s innovative structure, which focuses on seven pivotal years from 1900 to 2020, each representing a significant moment in the development of intermedial practices in Italy.

Our PIs delve into the role of technology in developing new media and intermediality, while emphasising that technological progress is not the sole driver of intermedial evolution. Moreover, the conversation addresses the implications of intermedial art forms for teaching Italian Studies, prompting a reflection on how these new approaches might reshape traditional curricula and pedagogical methods.

This interview not only provides valuable insights into the book’s content but also offers a glimpse into the collaborative process behind this groundbreaking research. Indeed, the three PIs share their experience of collaborative authorship, discussing both the challenges and rewards of this approach to academic writing.

The full text of the interview is available here.