Valek & Company Communications

This summer, I had the opportunity to fulfill a lifelong dream of traveling to Italy with my family. Once there, the presence of the great artist Michelangelo was palpable. To this day, his works are seen, talked about, and honored throughout the country.

Even with the work of many other great artists surrounding us, the masterpieces of Michelangelo stood out. Best known for the Vatican dome, the Pieta and the paintings in the Sistine Chapel in Rome and for the sculpture of David (at left) in Florence, Michelangelo also produced countless other works on display in those two cities and elsewhere. Michelangelo stands alone in his ability to create visual statements.

When planning communication programs, we often think about the words, the pictures or the graphics in isolation from each other. How often do we step back and think about the total impression a communication makes?

Michelangelo taught us how to think on a grand scale, to communicate with no holds barred, to say everything that needs to be said. If a picture is worth a thousand words, his images are worth an infinite number of words, as his work will generate a constant commentary of awe as long as the earth exists.

As remarkable as his talent was his stamina. He worked for four years on the Sistine Chapel ceiling and lived to be 88 years old. Today, he is no less a hero in Italy than he was during his lifetime.