«Un bambino creativo è un bambino felice». Bruno Munari e l’infanzia di massa dei ‘boomer’ italiani

The essay constitutes the first step of a possible broader research aimed at grasping the cultural components of that “mass childhood” that characterised the formation of the Italian boomers, inscribing it in the modernisation processes that the whole of Italian society went through in the two decades from the mid-1950s to the mid-1970s. Inaugurating this project is the figure of a total artist who dedicated a significant part of his activity to the world of childhood: Bruno Munari, advertising graphic designer, art director, visual theorist, experimenter of infinite forms of visual communication, illustrator, cultural animator, teacher, inventor of toys, sculptor. In particular, the essay illustrates two moments of Munari's activity that were destined to leave a mark on the cultural industry aimed at children: his collaboration with Einaudi, in particular as illustrator of Gianni Rodari's books but not only, and his participation in the programming of children's programming "La Tv dei ragazzi" (RAI)