Paper short abstract:

Votigno: how to convert a Medieval centre into a Tibetan museum. The founder's exposition policies convey an idea of "cultural survivals", a stereotype of perfection and absence of conflict through "religious bricolage" practices that attract visitors.

Paper long abstract:

Purchased and restored by Stefano Dallari (a dentist in Reggio Emilia), Votigno is a small Medieval centre, converted in 1990, with the approval of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, into the official Italian Tibet House. The choice of making Votigno a place for Tibetan "safeguard", for making Tibetan "tradition" visible, to promote dialogue and non violence, are parts of Dallari's policy. Votigno's History has been rewritten by its founder: the rural past is now the "glorious past of rural wisdom", it is a land of female mediation, it is a place of spiritual concentration and also the centre's aesthetics was rebuilt merging local rural architectural style with Tibetan one. The Centre is culturally justified by the presence of the Tibet Museum ( connected with Tibet Museum in Dharamsala). "Votigno Tibet House" as signature, reputation and brand name, represents a case of construction of "imagined and imaginary" Tibet, a proposal that fulfils the expectations of Italian audience, also supported by exposition policies and activities (Zen meditation, Reiki, solstice and equinox celebrations, etc) that provoke a studied distortion of time and space. "Votigno", in agreement with Italian audience, pays attention to "new consciousness", "new awareness" and "inner self". In this perspective, through its courses, presents and offers an idea of "sacred" based on "religious bricolage", in which "the spiritual learning" coincides with "spiritual and physical healing" and the experience's authenticity and intensity are standards of truth. In this articulated and homogeneous ensemble Votigno suggests the idea of "Aquarian Conspiracy".