At GO, another tribute to the bicentenary of Carlo Collodi’s birth. On stage, the presentation of the catalogue for the exhibition L’eco di Pinocchio, published by Giunti Editore with the participation of the Accademia di Belle Arti di Firenze.

The 192-page, full-colour volume retraces the story of Pinocchio chapter by chapter through the eyes of around 60 students from Professor Alessandro Baldanzi’s course, bringing together an extraordinary gallery of images capable of conveying all the contemporary relevance, poetry and imaginative power of the famous puppet.

In this collection, Pinocchio is no longer merely a character, but becomes a narrative device: a shifting figure through which to question the present.

“The puppet moves through different languages, aesthetics and sensibilities, transforming each time into symbol, story and vision. From the most traditional mark-making to the boldest experiments, each work builds an intimate dialogue between the original text and the artist’s imagination, giving shape to a web of interpretations that makes visible the inexhaustible vitality of Collodi’s work.”

From the day of the presentation, you will be able to visit the exhibition free of charge on the first floor, in the Sala degli Specchi.

The exhibition L’Eco di Pinocchio (2019–2026) will be inaugurated in the Sala degli Specchi at Giunti Odeon (1st floor): an extensive exhibition dedicated to the reinterpretations of Carlo Collodi’s masterpiece created by the students of the Two-Year Illustration Programme at the Accademia di Belle Arti di Firenze, as part of the course led by Professor Alessandro Baldanzi.

The exhibition (with free entrance) presents over one hundred original plates from editorial projects developed over the past few years, during which more than 150 students engaged with the extraordinary narrative legacy of Pinocchio. This creative experience has, in several cases, also found concrete editorial expression through published works.

L’Eco di Pinocchio offers the public a rich and surprising perspective on the vitality of Collodi’s work: a plurality of languages, sensitivities and visions that testify to the story’s ability to continually renew itself while preserving its evocative power. The works on display stand out for their technical quality, interpretative depth and coherence with the original text, creating an exhibition path of great visual and emotional impact.

On the occasion of the inauguration, the exhibition catalogue, published by Giunti Editore with the collaboration of the Accademia di Belle Arti di Firenze, will also be presented. The 192-page, full-colour volume retraces the story of Pinocchio chapter by chapter through the eyes of around 60 students, composing an extraordinary gallery of images capable of conveying all the contemporary relevance, poetry and imaginative power of the famous puppet.

The exhibition and catalogue are part of the programme of celebrations dedicated to the bicentenary of Carlo Collodi’s birth, paying tribute to one of the most important authors in Italian culture through the creativity and talent of new generations of illustrators.

If you think your life is strange… wait until you read NIK’s diary! Nicholas Ori, aka Nicopuntoit, comes to Giunti Odeon to present Benvenuto a casa, Nik! (Sillabe), in conversation with Giulia Perni, Editorial Director of Sillabe Editore.

The book:

NIK is 11 years old and has a family that calling “disastrous” would almost be a compliment — and the school he attends is no better. In fact, the headteacher has had the brilliant idea of hiring two world-famous painters with sky-high fees, bringing the school to the brink of financial collapse.

In this apocalyptic scenario, Nik and his friend Anita — the only one with a shred of common sense — decide to improvise as event organisers in an attempt to save the school from its sad fate. The result is a catastrophe of epic proportions, but at the same time so unique that it attracts enough media attention to raise the money needed to solve the problem.

Unfortunately, while his classmates enjoy the seaside, Nik will spend the whole summer clearing away the rubble to make sure the school can reopen in September. And yet, he feels happy because, together with Anita, he has discovered what it truly means to be a team.

We often worry about things that may seem insignificant, although, truth be told, nothing ever really is. Each of us lives with our own ups and downs, but Nik is different: he is the kind of person constantly swept up in a thousand difficulties. And what about you? Do you still feel like the unluckiest people in the world, or do you think that, by comparison, someone else might be facing even greater challenges? This new series will tell of infinite worlds and ways of feeling, living and smiling.

The author:

Nicholas Ori, aka Nicopuntoit, born in 2016, is a very young and multifaceted talent who performs alongside Paolo Ruffini in the theatre and stands out for his spontaneity in the show Il babysitter. He plays the role of the Little Prince in the stage production of the same name, bringing rare depth and sensitivity to the stage.

Described as an old soul, Nicholas combines his passion for Puccini with the creativity of a budding singer-songwriter. With his quick-fire logic, sophisticated vocabulary and gentle irony, he surprises audiences, revealing wisdom and talent that are truly out of the ordinary.