This is a Tale of Two Davids. Part 1: Michelangelo’s David
“Hope is not a strategy”. Do you agree or disagree with this?
Around 700 years ago, in Italy and Europe, the plague, known as the Black Death, killed a vast portion of the population. Pain and suffering was everywhere. Enter the Medicis, the rich and famous Florentine family who decided to help build the future on hope. Florence became home of the Renaissance-the rebirth of art, architecture and culture. They did this to give people hope after the darkness of the Black Death.
I am not an art historian, but having recently visited Florence, it is very safe to conclude that their strategy of hope worked. One data point: 160,000 visitors go through Florence’s main train station every day. What does almost no one leave without seeing: Michelangelo’s statue of David.
Where do I land on my question above? While hope on its own is not a strategy, there can be no strategy without hope. 700 years ago, a few influential people envisioned a more hopeful place and set out a strategy to attract and finance the best artists and sculptors of their time. This resulted in works of such magnitude that to this day people are still in awe of what they achieved.
One other takeaway: two sculptors failed to complete the statue of David before Michealangelo gave it a go and it took him 3 years to complete it. There is always risk involved when you dream big and attempt something on a grand scale.
So, what do you hope for and what will you do to make that hope a reality?