Gabriele Gimmelli "Stanze per la fantasia" Aldo Buzzi

April 3, 2026·21 min·2 clips

Aldo Buzzi writes that he is not a specialist, unlike 'certain cretins' who become well-paid experts by hammering the same nail for 20 years.

The episode is an interview on the podcast 'Il posto delle parole', where host Livio speaks with Gabriele Gimmelli about his book 'Stanze per la fantasia', which focuses on Aldo Buzzi. Gimmelli introduces himself as a researcher from the University of Bergamo who works on the relationships between literature, cinema, and visual arts. He explains that the book collects various aspects of his research and connects to his current project editing Buzzi's epistolary, set for publication by La nave di Teseo later this year. The host asks about Aldo Buzzi's identity, prompting Gimmelli to outline Buzzi's long life from 1910 to 2009, detailing his shifts from architecture to writing for magazines like Corrente and Domus, then to cinema as an assistant director and screenwriter, and finally to publishing at Rizzoli as a translator and editor. The discussion turns to the theme of word and image, with Gimmelli noting their ongoing dialogue in modern contexts like TV seriality and graphic novels. He shares an anecdote about Buzzi's book beginning with a photo and a written note about 'throwing', linking it to Buzzi's view of writing as a therapeutic act to free the mind. Gimmelli describes Buzzi's writing process as involving accumulation and sedimentation of materials over time. The conversation highlights Buzzi's friendship with artist Saul Steinberg, which began in 1933 at the Polytechnic of Milan, and includes a quote from Buzzi's letter criticizing specialization. Gimmelli reflects on Buzzi's eclecticism as both a quality and an obstacle, joking that Buzzi is a 'patron saint' for precarious researchers. Artistic influences are discussed, including Alexander Calder, Bruno Munari, and Buzzi's impressions of Francis Bacon. The episode concludes with Gimmelli recommending Tommaso Pincio's book 'Il dono di saper vivere' and offering a light-hearted thought on talent.

Listen to the show on

Apple Podcasts Spotify

Play clips from this episode More from il posto delle parole