Academia delle Arte - Pietro Vanucci

Giuliano Giuman - Director of Academia delle Arte

Here in the USA we generally utilize colleges and universities for our elevated art programs, but in Italy students learn the history and skill of art at an Academia.

The Academia delle Arte – Pietro Vanucci in Perugia is the equivalent to a university level art program.

Founded in 1573,  the Academia is not only a school, it is also a museum focusing its collection on statuary, yet also offering a variety of paintings, etchings and drawings concentrating on Umbrian artists. Also on display are creations by students, from giant posters to modern glass works.

The Academia is housed in the 10^th century convent of San Francesco di Prati procured specifically for the Academia. Some of the star attractions include statuary by Michele Angelo as well as a multitude of works by Umbrian artists from past to present. There are even works donated by Casanova.

The impressive collection has been curated by Giuliano Giuman for the past two years. With his tireless direction the statuary has been laid out in a manner reminiscent of the streets, arches and piazzas of Perugia with a very intelligent color choice of slate grey and off white, presenting the bright bluish white of the statuary in a manner that is almost epic in presentation. The statues are housed in a small room and are very close giving the room a sense of grandeur with the shear number of works on display.

 
The collection of paintings have been chosen with purpose and at the same time every placement makes sense. Obviously Giuliano worked tirelessly to make everything work perfectly together in a harmonious manner.

I was recently given a private tour of the Academia by Giuliano. The tour opened my eyes to the history found within Italy, especially the numerous items from the Umbria region.  With such an anthology, the important installation obviously holds the students at the Academia to a high standard. The expectation is evident with the works created by students I saw on display in the inner courtyard of the Academia.

Under the curation of Giuliano the collected works are not only important for Italy, Umbria and Perugia, but also the world. He has put together a grouping and positioned them so that they are in your face compelling one to understand the work that made them possible. The works are significant for the history of statuary in the world.

There was a moment in my visit that stuck out and it was after I saw the collection. Descending the stairs toward the exit there is a huge window looking out over the Umbrian countryside. This was the moment I was able to take in all I had just seen. Even though the museum is small it packs a punch and I was satiated with contentment as I realized this visit and view was indeed me LivingLifesBest. 

Our friends in Perugia

The Relationships of the Seattle-Perugia Sister City Association

by Ian H. Caruana

The Seattle-Perugia Sister City Association (SPSCA) is all about relationships. Both in Seattle and Perugia, an incredible group of people have found one another and created a bond and a bridge across the world. The people of Perugia are the reason we gather, they are the reason we celebrate, and without them we have no relationship.

On my recent trip to Perguia, I met so many of these people and I want to share with you a bit of who they are and why they are so important to us in sisterhood.

Spadolini Family

Alice, Michele, Riccardo, Eleonora, Catia Spadolini

Catia and Riccardo Spadolini live a few minutes outside of Perugia in the rolling hills of Umbria in a 16^th century restored villa situated on a hill looking out over the beautiful countryside. Villas, churches, olive groves, and vineyards encompass the view from their perch on the hillside, making it one of the most romantic visions of Italy I have ever experienced. The villa and compound are home to several family members and each of the clan is interesting in their own rite. Their daughters Eleonora and Alice are very welcoming and hospitable and Michele, Alice’s son is as charming as a young boy could be.

When spending time with these lovely people one never runs out of topics for conversation. They have hosted many of our association members into their home for dinners or given them tours of their city, taken them for un caffe or un gelato. The generosity of the whole family is given out freely and without reservation. They are a prime reason to visit our sister city. I, for one, am willing to travel halfway across the world to spend another evening with them celebrating life over food, wine, conversation, and friendship.

Rossella Vasta

Michele, Rossella, Benedetta Vasta

Rossella is in fact the most interesting woman I have ever met in my entire life. If I were to say of Rossella that she is an accomplished artist, business woman, and instructor I would only be offering a preliminary description of her valuable qualities. She is an extraordinary woman and member of our association.

I met Rossella at a meeting in Deruta at the L’Antica Deruta regarding the soon to be installed Alviero Morretti Foundation’s donation of contemporary ceramics here in Seattle.

Instantly I was captured by the spirit of this fascinating woman. She seems to ooze talent, inspiration, and intelligence and has a personality much larger than her tiny frame. She is for me bigger than life.

Spending time with Rossella means experiencing life to its fullest, as she is a mover and a shaker who is perpetually on the go. If that were not enough she is an exceptional chef! I had the opportunity to work with her preparing a dinner for 30 guests and found her skill in the kitchen as impressive as her other many talents.

If you know Rossella, you will meet many others as well. She is quite gifted at gathering people together and orchestrates others to network with a passion and a purpose. I sit back and wonder how I was so lucky to have met Rossella and thankful she is a member of our association.

Daniela Borghesi

Daniela works for the Comune di Perugia managing the affairs of the six sister cities of Perugia (Seattle and Grand Rapids, Michigan in the USA; Aix-en-Provence, France; Potsdam and Tubingen in Germany; and Bratislava, Slovakia).

Daniela Borghesi and Lauretta Vagnetti

For ten years, Daniela has committed herself to furthering relationships between Seattle and Perugia. She has been involved in organizing events, visits, and cultural exchanges from art shows to film festivals. Hours, days and weeks spent working out details, handling reservations, creating pamphlets, and orchestrating new ideas - all in the name of sisterhood.

Daniela and her co-worker Lauretta Vagnetti make the mechanics of our sister-city relationship work. They keep the momentum going when others are resting between commitments. She is one of the unsung heroines of our SPSCA and I hope more of you can one day meet this lovely and most talented member.

Elisabetta Valentini

Elisabetta Valentini

Many in the association have been fortunate enough to meet the president of the Perugia side of SPSCA - Elisabetta Valentini (Miozza). She, her husband Maurizio Miozza, and three children (Allessandro, 15; Giula, 11; and Matteo, 3)  have lived in Seattle for a little over two years due to Maurizio’s work. We all now have the advantage of her experience, friendship, and knowledge on Perugia - her town and home. How lucky we are that her family came to the sister city of Seattle.

Without Elisabetta it would be very difficult for our association to function as well as it does. She is a talented language teacher and Seattle-area students enjoy her teaching style and effectiveness as an instructor. She is already famous for her kind, funny, witty and gentle nature, but one must not be deceived by her gentle kindness for she is a savvy, intelligent woman who is very powerful in her own rite.

Elisabetta and her business partner/friend Roberta Torgerson have changed the face of our association with their hard work and talents. Currently Elisabetta has spent endless hours orchestrating the installation of the ceramic collection called “Un Calice per Alviero” (A Chalice for Alviero). She has worked both in Seattle and Perugia making the show donated by the Moretti Family and Alviero Moretti Fondazione happen. Elisabetta and Roberta organized the performance of Chiara, the beautiful opera singer from Perugia, earlier this year in Seattle. How blessed we in Seattle are to have Elisabetta with us for this window of time.

Thankfully while I was in Perugia, Elisabetta and her family were also at home in Perugia for some holiday time away from Seattle.  I met Elisabetta and her charming son Alessandro in the center of Perugia for a gelato and visit. It was one of the more enjoyable days of my time in Perugia. We ate, shopped, and enjoyed a caffe. Later, she introduced me to some very important and talented artists, including my newest and dearest friend Rossella Vasta. Perugia is Elisabetta’s home and she and Alessandro have a wealth of information to share with others - and they are generous enough to share it freely.

Elisabetta is just one more reason we have a successful sister city relationship with Perugia and another reason it is important to continue our work together. These wonderful, smart, giving people from Perugia make our lives here in Seattle fuller and more complete.  

Sisterhood - Seattle and Perugia

The Benefits of Sisterhood for Seattle and Perugia this November

by Ian H. Caruana

Moretti Family

We have a lot in common with our sister city of Perugia, Italy. We are bound together in sisterhood with a common love for food, wine, music, culture and art. This November we are lucky in Seattle to celebrate all of the above. From the 15^th to 20^th, the Italian Film Festival will be held at the SIFF Uptown Theater, and the “Taste of Italy” at the Seattle Center Northwest Rooms is set for Nov. 17th. And the event of a lifetime for our Sister City relationship with Perugia will take place on Nov. 13 when we will receive the gift of the Chalice for Alviero ceramics collection from the Moretti family and Commune di Perugia.

The foundations of Perugia pre date the Roman Empire and our city just has just over 160 years of history, still both of our cities are noteworthy centers for art. We both have outstanding museums, architecture, and public statuary for public viewing. We both host important music, cultural, food, and art festivals and love living life. This is where we are similar and this is the common ground we share.

While it is true how we are the same initiates our bond and gives us a foundation, it is in how we are different that fascinates us and keeps our relationship fresh and interesting. Our similarities are just a starting point for a continuing friendship of sharing our differences.

Alviero Moretti is known for the contributions he made in ceramics both in Italy and worldwide. He is credited with saving the ceramic industry of Deruta in the 1950s by implementing old and new techniques to create ceramics with both traditional and contemporary designs. In the 1970s, the “Galleria Moretti” was founded; the only contemporary art gallery in Italy that specifically showed ceramic artworks that have been produced by well-respected and accomplished artists in the nearby workshop.

The collection consists of pieces by 40 important and talented predominately Umbrian artists. I was honored this past July to have seen the collection at Deruta Antica located in the town of Deruta (in the province of Perugia and the state of Umbria, Italy). The collection is titled “A Chalice for Alviero”  “(un Calice per Alviero.”)

Because of the generosity of the Moretti family and the Alviero Moretti Foundation, there will be another place where one can see this significant collection of ceramics. Seattle will be the recipient of part of the Alviero Moretti collection.

 A chalice is a cup generally used in religious ceremonies and seems a fitting honor to such an important man in the world of art. One of the strengths of the collection is the continuity and diversity that takes the viewer on a ride of emotion with each interpretation of the same concept. I, for one, am honored to receive this important collection here in our city of Seattle.

The show has been on display in the city hall of Perugia and now will be presented by the Moretti family and Vice Mayor Nilo Arcudi of Perugia to Mayor Mike McGinn to the city of Seattle on November 13, 2012. The collection will be on display at city hall until it is installed at its future permanent home.

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I encourage all who love art and Italy to attend the presentation of this collection on November 13^th. If you are not able to attend the opening, sponsored by the Comune di Perugia and SPSCA, do yourself a favor and visit the collection when you can. I sincerely hope it inspires you.

For further inspiration, visit the home of the Moretti ceramic factory and foundation at:

www.anticaderuta.com