# attento al "sentire" contemporaneo



## Citrinette

Same context as before, an artists' CV:*

Le sue opere sono in grado di definire contaminazioni di materiali e di modalità d'uso tali da rendere il mosaico linguaggio espressivo attento al "sentire" contemporaneo.

*Here's my attempt:

_Her works of art are capable of defining the contamination of materials and the use of these materials making mosaics an expressive language to the point of "feeling" contemporary.
_
(I'm really not sure that I got the right idea from the Italian!.... help!)
I'm not sure if "feel" is ok to use to translate "sentire" but all in all, the whole thing is difficult.

Thanks in advance!


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## phillyitalianstudent

Le sue opere sono in grado di definire contaminazioni di materiali e di modalità d'uso tali da rendere il mosaico linguaggio espressivo attento al "sentire" contemporaneo.

Here's my translation:

His works are capable of defining the contamination of materials and the way in which such materials are used, thus making the mosaic an expressive language that strives for a contemporary "feeling."

But what does "contamination of materials" mean, and even more so what does it mean to "define the contamination of materials"?


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## Citrinette

That's exactly my problem I don't know!! Hmmm so it's not just me   The only thing I can think of is that the materials this artist uses is quite different from the ones used in antique mosaic making, therefore she contaminates the antique materials... maybe??
I think the general idea is that she has changed (or mixed) the materials (compared to the antique) and the way she uses them to the point that they become contemporary.
But it's just a guess.


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## Skin

Citrinette said:


> That's exactly my problem I don't know!! Hmmm so it's not just me  The only thing I can think of is that the materials this artist uses is quite different from the ones used in antique mosaic making, therefore she contaminates the antique materials... maybe??
> I think the general idea is that she has changed (or mixed) the materials (compared to the antique) and the way she uses them to the point that they become contemporary.
> But it's just a guess.


 
I agree with your interpretation. My attempt (to make the pompous Italian a bit more simple):

_"Her works of art are capable of combining materials and techniques of use of these materials so effectively that the mosaic truly expresses the contemporary scene"_

No doubt it might be improved!
Bye


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## Citrinette

Skin said:


> I agree with your interpretation. My attempt (to make the pompous Italian a bit more simple):
> 
> _"Her works of art are capable of combining materials and techniques of use of these materials so effectively that the mosaic truly expresses the contemporary scene"_
> 
> No doubt it might be improved!
> Bye



That definitely helps me with the understanding, and I'll have to integrate it into something more similar to the original. They will want it as similar as possible


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## phillyitalianstudent

Here is the definition of "contaminazione" in De Mauro:

http://old.demauroparavia.it/26546

Perhaps it means: 

3b TS lett., arte, estens., fusione di più elementi di diversa provenienza in un’unica opera artistica spec. letteraria 

In which case, it would mean something like producing a mosaic from a variety of different types of materials, i.e., ceramic, glass, stone, etc.


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## coeurdenids

*Le sue opere sono in grado di definire contaminazioni di materiali e di modalità d'uso tali da rendere il mosaico linguaggio espressivo attento al "sentire" contemporaneo.*

Her works in their turn define an exploitation of materials by the way she uses them to create an expressive mosaic language, attentive to contemporary trends.


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## Citrinette

coeurdenids said:


> *Le sue opere sono in grado di definire contaminazioni di materiali e di modalità d'uso tali da rendere il mosaico linguaggio espressivo attento al "sentire" contemporaneo.*
> 
> Her works in their turn define an exploitation of materials by the way she uses them to create an expressive mosaic language, attentive to contemporary trends.



Yes that is excellent! Thanks courdenis! 
Phillyitalianstudent, yes now that you point it out it is probably as you said, a contamination in the sense that it is a mixture! good find!


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## coeurdenids

You're welcome!


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## smiling

Il sentire contemporaneo è lo spirito del proprio tempo...quindi direi che Zeitgeist è la miglior traduzione possibile che indica il concetto.


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## coeurdenids

Zeitgeist e' la bella parola, ma "attentive to zeitgeist" non finisce bene.


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## Citrinette

Oh mamma, che confusione! So Zeitgeist would sum up "sentire contemporaneo"?? But as Coeurdenids says, I'm not sure it fits.


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## london calling

coeurdenids said:


> Zeitgeist e' la bella parola, ma "attentive to zeitgeist" non finisce bene.


I agree with you there! And I don't know how common "zeitgeist" is, either (in BE, anyway). 

I much prefer your "contemporary trends", or "spirit of the time".


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## coeurdenids

Ooh, that's perfect, "spirit of the times"! What do you think of that, Citrinette?


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## Citrinette

I certainly like it, but I think they want it to sound as similar as possible to the original. So I may have to keep something with the word contemporary in it. I'll have to check with the author. I'll try my best to convince them though!


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## Citrinette

*Le sue opere sono in grado di definire contaminazioni di materiali e di modalità d'uso tali da rendere il mosaico linguaggio espressivo attento al "sentire" contemporaneo.*

I was considering simplifying the sentence:

_She exploits the use of materials to create an expressive mosaic language attentive to contemporary trends/ the spirit of the times. 
_
Any thoughts or comments?


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## coeurdenids

That's much more "flowing" and direct than what I originally wrote, and for my two bits, you should go with "the spirit of the times". Yeah!


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## Citrinette

Thanks! yeah I'll definitely try to pass it to them with that, and if they don't like it I'll change it back.


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## VolaVer

_*Le sue opere sono in grado di definire contaminazioni di materiali e di modalità d'uso tali da rendere il mosaico linguaggio espressivo attento al "sentire" contemporaneo.*_

Question: which one is the noun? Mosaico or linguaggio?


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## Citrinette

"mosaico" is the noun, "linguaggio espressivo" is the adjective as far as I can tell.


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## VolaVer

Citrinette said:


> "mosaico" is the noun, "linguaggio espressivo" is the adjective as far as I can tell.


OK, grazie Citrinette.

Then my 2 cents are:
"*Le sue opere sono in grado di definire contaminazioni di materiali e di modalità d'uso tali da rendere il mosaico linguaggio espressivo attento al "sentire" contemporaneo."*

"His works of art can define contaminations of materials and of modes of usage in ways that make the mosaic/the mosaics an expressive language, attentive to the contemporary "feeling"/"feeling" of the times.


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## Citrinette

It's a good translation VolaVer. It's very close to the original, much closer than mine. My only doubt is whether it's too close to the italian. I'll think about it


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## VolaVer

Thanks , yes, I tend to be the more literal I can be.  It's my flaw and my strenght...


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## You little ripper!

"A contemporary feel"  is another option. It has more Google listings than "a contemporary feeling".


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## VolaVer

Is it just me or "feel" sounds more like "vibe" or "touch", sounds more factually sensorial, than "feeling"...?


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## You little ripper!

VolaVer said:


> Is it just me or "feel" sounds more like "vibe" or "touch", sounds more factually sensorial, than "feeling"...?


According to Encarta both "feel" and "feeling" are _an impression, appearance, effect, or atmosphere sensed from something.
_


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## Odysseus54

How about : "His works create contaminations of materials and techniques , such that mosaic becomes an expressive language open to contemporary sensibilities "


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## coeurdenids

Contamination has no place in the English version, because it only has one unattractive meaning in our language, and is never used to discuss anything artistic. Its real translation at the simplest level would be "usage".


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## Citrinette

coeurdenids said:


> Contamination has no place in the English version, because it only has one unattractive meaning in our language, and is never used to discuss anything artistic. Its real translation at the simplest level would be "usage".



I'm not sure I agree with you about the word contamination never being used in art. I think it can be used when saying that the art is contaminated with other styles. And in this case I could interpret it as there being a contamination of materials using a mix of materials different from those used in antique mosaics. 
However, I'm not sure if I can make it fit in the translation, and as you said perhaps "use" is better.


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## Odysseus54

coeurdenids said:


> Contamination has no place in the English version, because it only has one unattractive meaning in our language, and is never used to discuss anything artistic. Its real translation at the simplest level would be "usage".



I don't know if I can accept that.  Try to google "artistic contamination" or "stylistic contamination" and you will find a number of examples where the word is used to indicate not so much pollution, as synergetic contribution, cross-fertilization etc.



A lot of Italian and French pages too - could it be a "contamination" ? 


If you wanted to use "usage" , you would need to have some sort of circumlocution such as "usage of materials generally not associated with mosaic, or not used together in mosaic", and a similar circumlocution for the techniques used.

The Italian sentence makes me think of a mosaic made not just of chips of stone or tile, but made of metal and leather, and perhaps a three-dimensional thing.  Something unusual, mixing stuff that you don't see in your traditional mosaic, and attractive to the contemporary crowds.


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## coeurdenids

But when I think of simple, beautiful words that describe the meaning, such as "mischia" or "mélange" in French, I think it could be translated without it. Among artists the word contamination may be more familiar, but if you are trying to attract an unknowing public it might scare off visitors!


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## Odysseus54

Why, do you think the Italian text is welcoming and fuzzy ?


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## coeurdenids

It's my training as an artist, from 1964:

Keep It Simple Stupid = KISS

It's not Pavlovian, but simplicity RULES!


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## coeurdenids

I did Google, as you suggested, Odysseus, and I stand corrected. It nevertheless is an idiotic term like "parenting". 

I can hear Jackson Pollock and Willem deKooning moaning in their graves, "What the hell does that mean?" It's really just de trop and _hideously_ pretentious.


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## Odysseus54

I think Pasolini had this big thing about "contaminazione" - I think it was a provocation of sorts, a way to say that purity and in-breeding is not good for you.  He had a point, but as you say sometimes people do not "speak as they eat"  and they start using a term which is perfectly justified in one context, but becomes a pompous citation in another.


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## coeurdenids

I also read someone's memoirs which stated "what wasn't necessary started out as a lie and stayed there."

Would I look at the _Cenacolo _and say "that's a contamination of Giotto to Masaccio?" Then it isn't necessary with today's art, either. Also, Pasolini was a great artist and could use the term convincingly as an artistic argument. Now it's banal debutantes in Art News' Florence office.


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## Citrinette

Haha I love the discussion, I'm not going to take sides, but I think the point here is not to discuss whether or not it would be pretentious to use the term contamination in this context. The Italian definitely has the word contamination in it. If I can, I should probably make it sound as close as possible to the original (even if it sounds pretentious), if the word contamination doesn't "fit" I won't use it.


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## coeurdenids

Hehe. That's why it's always good to do translations for people who aren't that familiar with English. I always got "Che bella traduzione!" Si, admetto che io sono un vero pignolo!


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