The 10 funniest and most curious art and culture news of 2019

2019 has also been a very hilarious year for art lovers, and there are several funny, curious or bizarre news items that have cheered us through the year. We have collected ten of the ones that entertained us the most.

10. An ice cream shop inside the Uffizi
The Uffizi Gallery this summer opened an ice cream shop on the terrace. Visitors could therefore stop in front of the cart to refresh themselves with a good ice cream. With eight flavors available, “the great traditional classics,” they let the museum know. There was no shortage of discussion about the appropriateness of the initiative, but we have to say it did entertain us. Full story here.

The ice cream shop at the Uffizi

9. A miniature golf course set up at Rochester Cathedral.
How to bring the faithful back to the Church in a time of crisis? In Rochester, England, they have no doubt: by having people play inside the cathedral. Thus, the great English Gothic monument in August was transformed into a miniature golf course, with a course inspired by historic English bridges, to also send a message of welcome. “An ideal opportunity to reach out to the community and get families and young people thinking about the bridges while having fun,” they let the cathedral know. Full story here.

Miniature golf at Rochester Cathedral.

8. The Vienna Tourist Board’s fantastic advertising campaign.
But what are you going to do in Vienna? The Prater is “boring,” the paintings in the Leopoldmuseum are “disgusting,” the food is “junk.” The Austrian capital’s tourism board, in order to promote the city’s image, launched a super campaign last summer: advertising Vienna through the negative reviews of users of various online platforms. A way to let tourists (and people in general) know that sometimes it is better to think for yourself than to trust what others say. Full story here.

Vienna Tourist Board’s advertising campaign.

7. Sgarbi launches Goat Diary.
Goat, goat, goat, goat! How many times have we heard Vittorio Sgarbi utter his famous epithet to attack his interlocutor? Having become a trademark of the Ferrara-based art historian, the “goat” has also become a hallmark of his personality, to the point that it has become the protagonist of a... school diary, the Goat Diary. For students goat and not. Full story here.

Vittorio Sgarbi with the goat’s diary.

6. An artist eats Cattelan’s banana.
Comedian, Cattelan’s banana, like it or not, has been the most talked about artwork of 2019. Partly because of all that was created around the banana hanging on the wall of Perrotin’s booth at Art Basel: debates among critics and non-critics, memes on the internet, discussions to no end. And ... one performance: that of American-Georgian artist David Datuna who, particularly hungry, went to the Perrotin booth and literally ate Cattelan’s banana. Calling it “a delicious piece of work.” Full story here.

David Datuna peels off Cattelan’s banana before eating it

6. An artist eats Cattelan’s banana.
Comedian, Cattelan’s banana, like it or not, has been the most talked about artwork of 2019. Partly because of all that was created around the banana hanging on the wall of Perrotin’s booth at Art Basel: debates among critics and non-critics, memes on the internet, discussions to no end. And ... one performance: that of American-Georgian artist David Datuna who, particularly hungry, went to the Perrotin booth and literally ate Cattelan’s banana. Calling it “a delicious piece of work.” Full story here.

David Datuna peels off Cattelan’s banana before eating it

5. Valeria Marini takes a bath in the Barcaccia in the Spanish Steps.
It may have been a pitiful scene for some, to be sure, but there is no denying that Valeria Marini’s grotesque bath in the Barcaccia in the Spanish Steps had some particularly amusing twists. Especially the ending: lecture by the Rome police (“it is singular that a well-known figure from show business, who should be the first to provide a positive example of irreproachable conduct, instead becomes the protagonist of a vulgar as well as illicit action”) and a 550 euro fine. Other than Anita Ekberg! Full story here.

Marini takes a bath in the Barcaccia.

4. All naked at the museum!
Milan’s PAC is launching an idea already tried abroad but never brought to Italy (they had tried it in Domodossola, but perhaps complicit with the frigid alpine air, they had failed): a nudist visit to the exhibition. The guide will be artist Stuart Ringholt, no stranger to such events, and all visitors will have to show up strictly nude for a tour of the exhibition Australia, Stories from the Antipodes, a review of contemporary Australian art. The date is January 18, 2020: watch out for the cold. Which of you will be going? Full story here.

Stuart Ringholt (left) as he leads one of his nudist tours

3. Lover defaces Trani cathedral, mayor’s reaction makes web rounds
Of monument defilers, unfortunately, there are plenty. And Trani is no exception: there, on Valentine’s Day, a sweetheart had the nice idea of declaring herself to her Luigi by making a dedication to him on the exterior walls of the splendid building, one of the most beautiful monuments in Italy. And so far, there is very little that is funny. But this time the news has a curious twist, namely the reaction of the mayor Amedeo Bottaro, which has gone around the web. In fact, the first citizen decided to address Luigi directly, telling him, “Luigi, you have an idiot girlfriend, who does not know in the slightest what kind of trouble she has gotten herself into with this rubbish. Warn her, please. And convince her to clean it up and right away before it’s too late. And maybe convince her to read some books on the history of our Cathedral: she needs it.” Will Luigi have told her? Full story here.

Trani’s smeared Cathedral

2. A Facebook page posts Bouguereau painting, several ravenous men think it’s a real woman and make advances to her
The most ridiculous news from the web is definitely this one. Which actually dates back to April 2017, but for some reason it only resonated worldwide this year: a Facebook page posted an image of a painting by William-Adolphe Bouguereau, and a vast number of men, lustful and probably in long withdrawal, thought it was a real woman. And they started making advances--to the painting. It is one of the most absurd things we have ever read about. Full story here.

The post with Bouguereau’s painting and user comments

1. Lino Banfi in the Italian commission for UNESCO.
Yes, once again our politicians have been recognized. And for the gold palm of funniest (or most ridiculous, depending on your point of view) news of 2019, in our opinion there is no competition: Luigi Di Maio appointing Lino Banfi to the Italian commission for Unesco is perhaps something that not even satirical newspapers such as Lercio or the Vernacoliere could imagine. It is reality overcoming fantasy: a “tribute” that the then labor minister wanted to pay to the popular Apulian actor for having made “three generations laugh.” This time, however, it may have been us who made UNESCO laugh. Full story here.

Luigi Di Maio informs Lino Banfi of his appointment to Italy’s Unesco commission.

The 10 funniest and most curious art and culture news of 2019

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