VENICE SHOWS ITS MODERN FACE

The Fondaco dei Tedeschi displays the modern face of Venice with exhibitions by two controversial contemporary artists in its 16th century premises on the Grand Canal.

Roberto Ghezzi's “Aquae Naturografic” on the top floor of the building presents a new and personalized angle on the presence of water and the lagoon, while the ground floor and entrance to the T Galleria duty-free mall is enlivened by the colourful creations of street artist Gioele Corradengo, signature Sexsdreams.

The Fondaco dei Tedeschi (the German Warehouse) is one of Venice's most exciting modern conversions. The building dates from 1228 and was used by German traders as their base in the city to trade and store their goods. It was rebuilt in its present form after a fire at the beginning of the 16th century. In modern times it was taken over by the Italian Post Office and more or less languished until it was purchased by the Benetton Group, who converted it into a retail centre in grand style designed by Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas, who preserved many of its Renaissance features, such as the facade, the upper floor galleries and the mullioned windows. Unfortunately, the original frescos by Giorgione and Titian that once decorated the walls no longer exist, except as a few fragments preserved in the Ca'D'Oro.

The two exhibitions are running until the 1st May 2023, while the shopping mall is open every day between 10.30 – 19.30.

M.STENHOUSE

Info: Tel.+39.041.3142000      www.visitvenezia.eu     www.dfs.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

Posted on 12 Apr 2023 by Editor

BRONZE OLIVES FOR ASSISI EASTER

The artist Giuseppe Carta from Banari, Sardinia, has created a special message of peace for Easter2023, with 140 bronze olive sprigs set on the lawn in front of the Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi. The olive branchlets, with their bronze leaves, vary in size between 55 and 150 cms and make an arresting sight for the crowds of visitors who flood to Assisi for the Easter celebrations.

Info: www.sanfrancescoassisi.org

Posted on 07 Apr 2023 by Editor

AGRIGENTO ITALIAN CAPITAL OF CULTURE

The ancient Sicilian city of Agrigento has won the coveted nomination of Italian Capital of Culture for 2025, after a rigorous selection among ten candidate finalists. The prize amounts to one million euros, to be spent on projects that improve social and cultural facilities in the city and surrounding areas, that include the Island of Lampedusa, one of the most beleaguered landing spots for boatloads of immigrants from the North African coast.

Agrigento's bid was also motivated by the 5th century BC Ancient Greek philosopher Empedocles, a native of the city, who elaborated the theory of the four governing elements, as well as the hypothesis of friendship and love (as opposed to discord and hatred) that brings harmony to the universe and mankind.

Agrigento takes over from Pesaro, the 2024 winner, and concurs with Gorizia which along with Nova Gorica.will be the 2025 European Capital of Culture,

This year's current Capital of Culture is the duel nominee Brescia and Bergamo, the two Lombardy cities worst hit by the Covid pandemic.

Info: www.beniculturali.it

Posted on 04 Apr 2023 by Editor

FOLLOWING THE TRAIL OF THE GODS

A perfect Easter holiday excursion for lovers of trekking: “Il Sentiero degli Dei” (the Path of the Gods) that runs along the mountainous coastline of the Amalfi Coast.

The 9-km trek runs from Agerola to Positano and takes an estimated 4-5 hours (one way), over the crest of the Lattari Mountains with breathtaking views at every turn.

Visitors can choose between two alternative routes - the “Sentiero Alto” (High Path) that leads steeply up the mountain side or the more gentle “Sentiero Basso” (Low Path) passing through Nocelle. Both paths offer panoramic points with views over the bay, the colourful towns of the Amalfi coast, the Island of Capri and the Li Galli archipelagos where the sirens tried to trap Ulysses, as well as drinking fountains of pure spring water. On route, walkers pass traces of ancient cave dwellings, abandoned peasant houses and the celebrated “Grotta Biscotto.

Info: https://ilsentierodeglidei.net

Posted on 01 Apr 2023 by Editor

PERUGINO: CELEBRATED ART WORK REUNITED

The section of a celebrated polyptych by Perugino has finally been re-united to its other panels for the major exhibition in the National Gallery of Umbria celebrating the 5th centenary of the death of the Renaissance maestro. The greater part of the Polyptych of the Certosa di Pavia featuring the Madonna and Child flanked by the Archangels Michael and Raphael are part of the permanent collection of the National Gallery, London, which has lent the panels for the occasion. Only the upper part of the work, featuring God the Father Blessing, has remained in its original site, while the central panels were so clumsily removed some time in the past that the foot of the Christ Child has been amputated.

The Perugino Exhibition, “Il Meglio Mastro d'Italia” (Italy's Best Maestro) which runs till the 11th June 2023, features over 70 works, many from some of the world's major galleries and collections, including the National Gallery of Washington, the Louvre, the Uffizi, the Gemaldegalerie of Berlin and others and gives a unique opportunity to study the development and career of an artist who, in his heyday was hailed as “the best maestro in Italy”.

Lauded for much of his life, especially for his unequalled use of colour, Pietro di Cristofono Vannucci (better known as Perugino) 's career unfortunately took a dip when he was in his late 50s, probably due to over-production and too much reliance on his apprentices to help him carry out the flood of requests and assignments that kept pouring in. A commission of an altar piece for the Church of the Holy Annunciation in Florence was refused because he had used figures copied from other of his works. Giorgio Vasari, the historic chronicler of “The Lives of the Artists”, described him as having “a rock-hard brain” and recounted that he took Michelangelo to court because he had accused him of being “clumsy in his trade”. Perugino retired after these episodes and his fame was overtaken by that of one of his ex-pupils: Raphael Sanzio.

The exhibition intends to give a more balanced view of an artist now universally acknowledged as “a leading maestro of the Renaissance.”

M. STENHOUSE

Info: Tel. +39.075.58668436 www.perugino2023.org gan-umb@cultura.gov.it

 

Posted on 28 Mar 2023 by Editor

VAL DI NON: APPLE BLOSSOM & PHANTOM BRIDGES

April is Apple Blossom time in the mountain Valley Non (Val di Non, Trentino, Alto Adige) a district of Trentino bordering on the Dolomites. The Val di Non is celebrated for its apple production and organizes special itineraries to the orchards, the farms and the best viewing spots for blossom photography. There is also an “Adopt an Apple Tree” initiative, aimed at families, who, for a modest fee, have exclusive rights to all the fruit it produces the following autumn.

Another special attraction of the valley is its “phantom bridges” that rise out of the waters of the 8 km-long Santa Giustina lake. The lake, formed by the damming of the Noce River in 1951, covers the valley floor, submerging the old farms, hamlets and mule tracks that once traversed the area.

Every spring, however, the water level is lowered and three ancient bridges, including one dating back to Ancient Rome and another medieval, emerge from the water like phantoms from another age, constituting another major tourist draw..

When it was built, the Santa Giustina dam was the highest dam in Europe, rising to a height of 152,50 m..

Info: www.visitvaldinon.it www.adottaunmelo.com

Posted on 23 Mar 2023 by Editor

FORLI IN GRAND STYLE

The town of Forlì (Emilia-Romagna) has launched a major exhibition centred on changing dress fashions from the period between 1789 and 1968 entitled L'Arte della Moda. L'eta dei Sogni e delle Rivoluzioni” (“The Art of Fashion. Times of Dreams and Revolutions”).

The exhibiton, running until the 2nd July 2023 in the prestigious seat of the ex-monastery San Domenico, now the Civic Museum, offers a rare full immersion in the changing customs and costumes that evolved from the period of the French Revolution through Romanticism, then Impressionism, Symbolism and the early 20th century with over 300 exhibits that include original historic items of clothing, accessories, works of art and sculptures, as well as celebrated paintings on the theme of dress trends by Mondrian, Boldini, Matisse, Marinetti, Depero and others, alongside iconic fashion articles designed by top couturiers like Ferré, Elsa Schiaparelli and Germana Marucelli.

Leading international Museums and Foundations from all over Europe have contributed items from their collections to the Forlì exhibition, resulting in a unique overview of changing dress styles, tastes and customs over the last four centuries.

Info: Tel.+39.0543.36217 www.mostremuseisandomenico.it

Posted on 19 Mar 2023 by Editor

 

NAPLES TREASURES A HIT IN SHANGHAI

The citizens of Shanghai, China, can admire the stunning images of Greek and Roman classical art masterpieces on view for the first time in China's biggest city and a major world financial centre, as they float across the facade of the Museum of Art Pudong, in a huge LED projection created by the Italian Flatmind Video Productions company. The images accompany the major exhibition: “A World of Beauty. Masterpieces from the National Archaeological Museum of Naples” in honour of the Year of Culture and Tourism Italia - China 2023.

The exhibition contains 70 masterpieces of classical art from the Farnese Collection of the National Museum of Naples, and includes celebrated pieces such as the Venus Callipyge, Asclepius and Apollo with Kythara.

The event runs until the 21st April 2023 and will be followed by two other equally prestigious exhibitions of Italian art and culture in 2024 and 2025, also organized in collaboration with the Italian Institute of Culture - “Leonardo da Vince, la Macchina dell'Immaginazione” (the Imagination Machine) and “Michelangelo, the Genius of Form.”

Info: https://iicshanghai.esteri.it https://mann-napoli.it

Posted on 14 Mar 2023 by Editor

COLLECTORS COINS FOR ARCHITECT VANVITELLI

This year marks the 250th anniversary of the death of neo-classical architect Luigi Vanvitelli, designer of Italy's sumptuous Royal Palace of Caserta (Campania). Among the many events and commemorative initiatives, visitors can enjoy a new permanent exhibition dedicated to him in the renamed Sala Vanvitelli within the Royal Palace apartments

A special tribute comes from Italy's Treasury Ministry which has commissioned the Mint (Istituto Poligrafica e Zecca dello Stato) to issue a new series of two gold and one silver coin for collectors specially designed for the occasion, with the nominal values of 5, 10 and 20 euro.

Two of the coins feature a portrait of the maestro from the Accademia of San Luca by an unknown artist on the obverse while the reverses carry details of the works of art connected with the palace itself.

The 10 euro gold coin (2,000 pieces issued) is part of the Fountains of Italy series, launched by the Mint last year with the image of the Trevi Fountain. This coin is dedicated to the celebrated Fountain of Diana and Actaeon in the grounds of the Caserta Palace, and portrays the episode recounted in the classical legend of the goddess Diana and the hunter who surprises her bathing and is punished by being transformed into a stag.

The 20 euro gold coin (1,500 examples) features a cherubim from another Caserta fountain, dedicated to Venus and Adonis, with a glimpse of the palace facade in the background, while the 5 euro silver shows a detail of the Upper Vestibule of the Palace and the Stairway of Honour.

Contrary to what is generally thought, Luigi Vanvitelli was not Italian. He was of Dutch origin and his original family name was Van Wittel, subsequently Italianized. He died at Caserta on the 1st March 1773.

There are numerous commemorations planned throughout the years 2023-2024, so watch this space.

  1. STENHOUSE

Info: www.reggiadicaserta.cultura.gov.it www.ipzs.it

Posted on 10 Mar 2023 by Editor

PLANS TO RELAUNCH ANCIENT CALABRIA ROUTE

With the Old Appia Way finally heading for official UNESCO recognition, another ancient route – the 2,200 year-old Strada Regia di Calabria (Main Road of Calabria) – is being brought to light by historian and architect Luca Esposito, a member of the Archeoclub D'Italia, one of Italy's foremost associations for the conservation and promotion of historic artistic heritage.

After eight years of research Esposito has traced out the first part of the ancient Roman route linking Naples to Castrovillari (Cosenza) in Calabria. The route which incorporated part of the Roman Via Popilia, was virtually cancelled out by the construction of the modern A3 Salerno-Calabria Autostrada del Mediterraneo in 1962.

The original road was some 400 kms long and passed through 44 towns and villages. Its continuous use through the centuries is bourne out by the 5 UNESCO Heritage sites along the route, as well as the remains of numerous old inns, 19th century postal stations and innumerable other historic sites, all of which Esposito has traced, mapped and published in Open-Source software.

The 44 localities on the route are now pooling their resources with view to launching new tourist treks and special interest guided tours along the re-discovered Old Strada Regia.

Info: Tel. +39.0644202250 www.archeoclubitalia.it www.academia.edu

 

 

 

Posted on 06 Mar 2023 by Editor

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