Due to teaching obligations, I was unable to attend the October opening of SKI PAST at the Trento Tunnels (Le Gallerie), despite having worked closely with Daniele Ledda and XY communications in Milan on its design. I was finally able to visit the exhibition in early December and was very pleased with the overall result. Sports history museums (not to mention ski museums) aren’t usually known for fresh or innovative approaches to museology or installation design. SKI PAST is an exception.

As stated in my October 2012 post, the exhibition in question represents the fourth edition of the Trento Tunnels project and is dedicated to the theme of “histories of Nordic sport in Fiemme and the world.” The nearby Val di Fiemme is hosting the world cross-country ski and ski jumping competitions for the first time in February 2013 and this new edition of the Trento Tunnels provides an overview of the material culture of skiing, its history and development, and skiing’s role both locally and throughout the world. The show was inaugurated on October 18, 2012 and will remain open to the public until late 2013. Admission is free.

Enjoy this gallery and feel free to download if you are so inclined. Unless otherwise indicated, photos are by Pierluigi Fagion.

Le Gallerie 2012

Entrance to tunnels (the snow is fake).

Le Gallerie 2012

Skis that tell stories (entry corridor)

Le Gallerie 2012

Snowshoes that tell stories (also in the entry corridor).

Le Gallerie 2012

The forest of the Magnifica Comunità di Val di Fiemme.

Le Gallerie 2012

The Alpine theater of war (white tunnel).

Le Gallerie 2012

Deeper into the history of skiing (white tunnel).

Le Gallerie 2012

The development of ski waxes and cross-country skis

Le Gallerie 2012

The tree of skis with forest of nordic ski book behind (black tunnel). There are similar assemblages for ski poles (hung from the ceiling) and bindings (presented on diagonally slanted 2″ x 4″s).

Le Gallerie 2012

The immersive cinema (black tunnel). For a better sense of the structure of this middle section of the black tunnel, see the videos posted below.

Le Gallerie 2012

The immersive cinema (black tunnel).

Le Gallerie 2012

The immersive cinema with two young viewers reclining on viewing platform (black tunnel).

Le Gallerie 2012

The development of ski jumping suits (black tunnel).

Le Gallerie 2012

Exit (black tunnel).

Here are some videos shot on my iPhone that help you to get a better sense of specific portions of the installation.

The megaphone kiosks in the history of skiing section (white tunnel).

The rhythm and exhaustion sections of the cross-country skiing section of the immersive cinema (black tunnel).

The central portion of the ski jumping section of the immersive cinema (black tunnel).

Ski jumping section of immersive cinema with horizontal viewing platform (black tunnel).

For a full listing of the personnel involved in SKI PAST, the project sponsors, partners, and lenders, go to the website of Fondazione Museo Storico del Trentino.

- January 7, 2013