Dan Turello - Author, Photographer and Cultural Historian.
- Isobel Arden
- Jun 5
- 4 min read
Updated: Jun 14
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Meet Dan Turello.
In this interview, Mark invited Dan Turello to create his own fantasy cultural year from the answers to some easy questions where there are no wrong answers. Enjoy his journey below.
If there were an Olympic event for finding connections between seemingly unrelated ideas, Dan Turello would probably be on the podium.
Writer, photographer and cultural thinker, Dan has devoted much of his life to exploring a deceptively simple question: what makes us human, and how do we remain connected to one another in an increasingly technological world?
His work sits at the intersection of culture, creativity, philosophy and technology.
Drawing inspiration from literature, history, art and the humanities, he explores the ways in which stories, relationships and shared experiences shape our understanding of ourselves and the societies we build together.
Dan is the author of Connection: How Technology Can Make Us Better Humans, a thought-provoking exploration of how technology can strengthen rather than weaken our capacity for meaningful human relationships. At a time when many conversations about technology focus on division, distraction and isolation, Dan offers a more hopeful perspective, examining how innovation can support empathy, creativity and deeper connection.
Alongside his writing, Dan is an accomplished portrait photographer whose work reflects a longstanding fascination with human presence and identity. Through photography he seeks to capture not only how people appear, but something of who they are. His portraits celebrate individuality, authenticity and the stories that often remain unseen beneath the surface.
One of his most notable creative initiatives is the Alternative DC Portraits Project, a community-centred exploration of people whose lives challenge stereotypes and simplistic narratives. Through thoughtful portraits and personal stories, the project highlights the richness, diversity and complexity of contemporary urban life.
Whether writing about technology, photographing strangers who become friends, or exploring the cultural forces that shape our lives, Dan is driven by a belief that genuine connection remains one of humanity's greatest resources.
His work invites us to slow down, look more closely at one another, and recognise the threads of shared humanity that connect us all.
Dan Turello's Fantasy Cultural Year ... with a magic wand and time machine to hand.
Mark introduced the idea of a “fantasy cultural year” - a way to get to know each new full member that's far more spontaneous than a traditional interview — allowing imagination, travel, culture and Dan Turello's creative vision to collide.
This is a hyperthetical, global, fully funded creative journey.
🎭 The Fantasy Cultural Year Begins
Dan chooses Shakespeare and Company in Paris - the famous bookshop sits opposite Notre Dame Cathedral on the banks of the Seine and represents something he values deeply: texture, ideas and the physical experience of books.
Mark imagines Dan sitting outside the bookshop on a warm June evening in Paris.
☕ On the table:
• A cortado — espresso with just a splash of milk
• Italo Calvino’s If on a Winter’s Night a Traveler, chosen partly because Calvino spent much of his life in Paris
🎧 In his headphones:
• Crooked Still, the Boston-based bluegrass band whose mellow, quirky sound Dan continually returns to
🌍 The Dream Mission
A major Parisian publishing house and wealthy family foundation offer Dan an extraordinary opportunity to investigate how AI and the arts are shaping one another around the world.
🇩🇪 Berlin, Germany
Dan begins close to Paris, choosing Berlin — a city he has always wanted to explore.
Faced with the challenge of listening to only one type of music for twelve months, he chooses:
• Classical music
• Particularly Bach and Beethoven
💃 The Ultimate Experience
Given the ability to see any dance-based performance, Dan selects:
• Blue Man Group
Part performance art, part theatre, part choreography, their unusual and visually striking style intrigues him.
🍽️ Dinner Afterwards
• Japanese cuisine
The next stop is Tokyo.
🏔️ Dream Sporting Event
Rather than choosing a traditional cultural experience, Dan opts for:
• Mogul skiing
He loves the combination of athleticism, speed, daring jumps and mountain scenery.
In true fantasy style, he imagines the event taking place on Mount Fuji.
🇳🇿 Wellington, New Zealand
In a futuristic gallery, visitors can step directly inside the work of any artist.
Dan chooses:
• Vincent van Gogh
Dan particularly likes the idea of wandering through the world of The Starry Night.
🎭 Cultural Week in London
🎸 Monday — Historic Concert
U2's Achtung Baby Tour
🎤 The Artist He Wishes He'd Seen
• The Rolling Stones at the height of their touring years
🎭 Tuesday — Play
Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett
🎶 Wednesday — Musical
Les Misérables
• Spamalot
🎼 Thursday — Opera
While not a devoted opera fan, Dan chooses:
• Mozart's Don Giovanni
However, he happily agrees when Mark suggests experiencing Puccini's Tosca instead.
🎬 Friday — Film
His finalists are:
• Pulp Fiction (Quentin Tarantino)
• A Federico Fellini film
• Casablanca
🏛️ Hero Lunch
If Dan could spend an afternoon with anyone, he would choose:
• Bruce Springsteen
He would love to hear stories about Springsteen's upbringing, creative life and remarkable career.
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Mark Walmsley FRSA FCIM AGSM
Chief Culture Vulture
Arts & Culture Network
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