La fabbrica della nebbia

The «Small philosophy of travel» series invites Gino Cervi, journalist, writer and, in particular, “book mechanic”, to investigate what material or immaterial reveals itself, hiding within the fog, a of the most powerful literary machines for imagining the world. What happens if one is born inside the fog? That is, precisely in a place where fog is "produced in series" - hours, days, weeks - and has always been a familiar, almost parental presence, a neighbor, even a little intrusive, within which one cannot do anything unless you run into him as soon as he opens the door. The fog, however, must be known, and not to avoid it. Anyone who thinks it is simply an atmospheric phenomenon is very wrong. Just as for the Eskimos snow is a world, those born inside their "factory" know well that there is fog and fog. And then, does the fog hide or reveal? Is it threat or protection? A powerful machine of imagination, it can be found almost everywhere: in novels - do you know Inspector Maigret? -, in the poems - that of the "shaggy hills" -, in the paintings and photos, from Turner to Ghirri, and in the films: Port of Mists, Rocco and his brothers, Amarcord... There is perhaps also a music of the fog, which it changes the timbres, the colors of the sounds. And finally, what do we do with those who say that there are no mists of the past: Where are the mists of yesteryear?