The Drexel University Washington DC Center will host a reception for the exhibition La Scomparsa: The Disappearance of Italy by Blaise Tobia, Professor of Art in the College of Media Arts & Design at Drexel University. The exhibition will be on view from Wednesday, 3 February through Friday, 5 February 2016 in Lafayette Tower, 4th Floor, at 801 17th Street NW, accessible via the Red Line metro to Farragut North Station.
From the artist:
L’Italia – almeno l’Italia come la immaginiamo qui nei paesi stranieri – scompare. Certo un paese, una società, una cultura non possono scomparire letteralmente; forse è più corretto dire che cambiano. Ma, l’effetto è veramente di una scomparsa. L’Italia come la immaginiamo esiste ancora, ma solamente come una facciata sottile sottile. Una facciata mantenuta dagli Italiani per noi stranieri, noi turisti, noi emigrati. Una facciata mantenuta addirittura per gli Italiani stessi.
Italy – at least the Italy that we imagine from abroad – is disappearing. Of course, a country, a society, a culture can’t literally disappear; perhaps it’s more correct to say that they are changing. But, the effect is truly one of a disappearance. The Italy that we imagine still exists, but only as the most fragile of facades. A facade maintained by the Italians for us foreigners, us tourists, us emigrants. A facade maintained even for the Italians themselves.
Rome, Park of the Aqueducts, Blaise Tobia © 2012
All photos © Blaise Tobia
Posted by Anne Leader