Contents of the Fireplace
Maria Fusco. The Italian language as a tool of democracy
Fabio Finotti, director of the Italian Cultural Institute in New York, discusses with Maria Fusco, director of the Education Office at the Italian Embassy in Washington DC, describing the work and institutional and civic purposes of the structures responsible for promoting the Italian language worldwide.
Paula Bolla-Sorrentino
“Passion is our main ingredient.” Brazilian but with Italian roots, Paula Bolla-Sorrentino is Director of Operations for Il Gattopardo Group. Passionate about art, design, food, and Italian culture, she has a background as a model. As she tells Vincenzo Pascale for the “New York Stories” series, she now manages all the visual and organizational aspects of three esteemed restaurants in the Big Apple: Il Gattopardo, The Leopard at Des Artistes and Mozzarella & Vino. Her job? To ensure a perfect sensory experience… not just on the table!
Alain Elkann
In front of the Fireplace of the Italian Cultural Institute in New York, Fabio Finotti in conversation with journalist and writer Alain Elkann presenting two of his books: “Italian Masterpieces” and “Anita”. The first one is a book dedicated to the history of Italian art and to masterpieces such as Giorgione’s “Vecchia”, Raphael’s “La Fornarina” or Parmigianino’s “Antea” and “Schiava Turca” that FIAC – Foundation for Italian Art and Culture has brought to exhibitions in the United States over the past 18 years. The other is a novel on a love story that becomes an opportunity to meditate on the divine and what will happen after death.
Nadia Urbinati
Nadia Urbinati, professor of Political Theory at Columbia University, in conversation with Vicenzo Pascale for “Stanze italiane”, talks about today’s democracies starting from the concept of people, a collective subject that, even though it does not exist in empirical reality, is depicted as a “unit” by those who aim to gain consensus or feel legitimated to act. At the center of her research is the concept of democracy, that she has been studying in terms of its origins and evolution until today, analyzing the dynamics of electoral systems, and the way it is opposed by different forms of negation, not least populism.
Aurélie Paradiso
In front of the Fireplace of the “Stanze italiane”, a new episode of the “Stories of New York” series, curated by Vincenzo Pascale (Long Island University in Brooklyn), this time in conversation with Aurélie Paradiso, architect and interior designer. With her New York-based team, she designs custom buildings, interiors and furniture. Her work is rooted in attention to detail, craftsmanship, light and fine materials to offer a sober and timeless luxury. In the conversation she retraces her 25-year experience, between private homes and cultural projects.
Cristiano Quieti: art, technology, and sustainability
Addressing issues related to the environment and sustainability through a positive message is the goal of Arcadia Earth: an experiential storytelling venue that from New York is spreading to other parts of the United States. A museum that comes to life with immersive technologies, animated by augmented and virtual reality and mapping. An interactive environment where visitors discover how small changes in lifestyle can affect the future of our planet. In a conversation with Fabio Finotti, in front of the Fireplace of the Italian Cultural Institute in New York, Cristiano Quieti, partner and CEO of Arcadia Earth, tells us about it.
Francesca Magnani
Since 1997, when she moved to New York, Francesca Magnani has created and nourished with words and images an ideal bridge of thoughts and feelings between two countries that she calls home: Italy and the United States of America, brought together through her photographs. In front of the Fireplace of the Italian Cultural Institute in New York, Vincenzo Pascale has met the Paduan photographer for the “New York Stories” collected in Stanze italiane. It was an opportunity to talk about “The Masked City”, her project on the pandemic and the rebirth that “The City That Never Sleeps” has been experiencing in these times. Common denominator: the mask, which is also brings to mind typically Venetian masks, belonging to the photographer’s background. Francesca Magnani wanted to tell the story of how New Yorkers have expressed themselves (and continue to express themselves) through masks which, from being objects with a protective function, have become means of expression, ways to communicate emotions, moods and give voice to the personality of each one of us.
Gianna Pontecorboli
On Holocaust Remembrance Day 2022, Vincenzo Pascale in conversation with the Genoese journalist Gianna Pontecorboli, long-time foreign correspondent for Italian newspapers and magazines, starting from her book America nuova terra promessa. Storie di ebrei italiani in fuga dal fascismo (America the New Promised Land: Stories of Italian Jews who Escaped Fascism): the book tells the story of hundreds of Italian Jews who, after the promulgation of the racial laws in 1938, began to take refuge in the United States but trying to preserve their connection with Italy, by supporting the Liberation and contributing to the post-war reconstruction process.
Bénédicte De Montlaur
Fabio Finotti – Director of the ICI in New York – in conversation with Bénédicte de Montlaur (President and CEO of the World Monuments Fund) about the activities of the WMF. De Montlaur explains how the history of the WMF is linked to Italy, in particular to the city of Venice, and how the “acqua granda” (‘great water’) of 1966 was a crucial turning point towards the awareness of the need to preserve the world’s cultural heritage. She also reflects on the foundations of the WMF, from the awareness that preserving a monument means integrating it into modernity, to the importance of collaborating with local inhabitants, to the value of cultural diplomacy and knowledge of different cultures. A discussion on how climate change and Covid-19 are threatening our whole cultural heritage follows. Finally, the WMF website is presented, on which you can discover the activities of the Fund and interact with them in different ways.
David McCreery
Vincenzo Pascale in conversation with David McCreery (banker, philanthropist and Religious Studies scholar) about the relationship between his religious studies and his financial career and philanthropic work. McCreery explains how his humanities studies have provided him with valuable tools for his financial career, from the ability to listen and understand the needs of his clients, to the ability to deconstruct and understand complex situations. He also reflects on the relevance of Religious Studies in light of contemporary challenges and explains how more integration of this field of study into those of law and finance would be desirable. He then speaks about his philanthropic work with the On Course Foundation, founded by John Simpson, which brings disabled veterans together on the golf course. Finally, he shares his love for Europe and Italy.
George A. Hirsch
Vincenzo Pascale in conversation with George A. Hirsch (founder of the New York City Marathon) about the New York Marathon and his relationship with Italy. Hirsch explains that the New York Marathon is the event that is most loved by Italian marathoners, some of whom have made history in the competition (from Orlando Pizzolato to Stefano Baldini). He then talks about the programs promoted by the foundation, from school programs for children from disadvantaged communities to those for the elderly. Finally, he discusses his love for Italy, his organization of the Italy Run event in Central Park, his experience as editor of La cucina d’Italia and the privilege of having been awarded the title of Officer of the Order of the Star of Italy by President Mattarella.
Valentino Gallo
Vincenzo Pascale in conversation with Valentino Gallo (financial entrepreneur) about his career between Italy and the United States. Pascale explains that he trained in Italy, began his career in Rome and then received an offer to move to New York; today he works as an asset manager, conducting operations especially in Latin America. He talks about his experience as a philanthropist for the Scuola d’Italia, which he values for its usual curriculum and bilingual, international education. He encourages young Italians to pursue international experiences and to be proud of Italy’s excellent educational system. Finally, Pascale reflects on his very deep connection with Italy and especially with his city, Padua, which he loves for its family values, adaptability and willingness to work; at the same time, he reveals his fascination for New York, for its resilience and ability to overcome crises, and for the American entrepreneurial spirit in general.
Lars Leicht
Vincenzo Pascale in conversation with Lars Leicht (entrepreneur) about how the rediscovery of his Italian roots, thanks to a period of study abroad during university, allowed him to find his vocation and influenced the course of his career. Leicht tells how he decided to turn his passion for Italian wine into a career, first starting a winery and then a tourism promotion company. He explains that he wants to make his clients and friends discover the most genuine dimension of Italian culture, the one that is not part of the great mass tourism, but that allows them to discover the lifestyle, culinary culture, hospitality and friendliness of Italians. Then they discuss the perception Americans have of Italy, which is often exaggerated by the media, and the evolution of the Italian situation following the modernization of recent decades.
Andrea Danese
Vincenzo Pascale in conversation with Andrea Danese about the art market and the creation of financial services that ensure the possibility of using works of art to create liquidity or as guarantee instruments in loans. They discuss the perspectives offered by this kind of service – currently available to collectors and art galleries, but potentially also to small villages or museums – and the problems related to the art market – a market that is not very democratic and still immature, especially in a country like Italy. Danese also considers how Covid-19 has strongly damaged realities such as museums, which could find an aid to restart in such financial services, but also how the pandemic has contributed to open the doors of the art market to a much wider audience. He then talks about his own experience as an Italian immigrant abroad, the crucial value of his Italian high school education, his love for the resilient city of New York, and his philanthropic activities in support of emerging artists.
Alexander More
Vincenzo Pascale in conversation with Alexander More, pandemic and climate change expert (Long Island University), about the relationship between pandemics and climate change. Professor More talks about how his interest in these fields was born, from the passion for nature born as a child in Italy, to the choice to study public health upon his arrival in the United States. He explains the correlation between pandemics and climate change, talks about his studies on the Spanish flu and discusses the current Covid-19 pandemic (especially in New York City). Finally, More tells his personal story between Italy and the United States, from his schooling in Puglia and Venice, to the moment when he moved to America as a teenager, to his studies at Harvard and his career as a university professor. Quoting John Kennedy, he recalls that “we are all immigrants” in America and reflects on how important it is to remember and value this shared identity.
Mauro Porcini
Fabio Finotti – Director of the ICI in New York – in conversation with Mauro Porcini (SVP & Chief Design Officer of Pepsi Cola) about Italian design in the new contemporary world. Porcini explains his pivotal role in the development of his company: his task is to understand the demands of users and to design new products and redesign existing ones, so as to allow the brand to remain relevant in a world in which the relationship between brands and consumers has completely changed. He explains how his studies at Politecnico di Milano have taught him an all-round vision of design, which integrates the study of the customer, technology and economics, and is based on the concept of glocality, on the ability to combine a global vision with the enhancement of local aspects. He then presents his latest book L’età dell’eccellenza (The Age of Excellence), in which he urges young innovators to use their resilience and spirit of initiative to find their own place in any context. Porcini then reflects on his personal experience, on the great potential for innovation in Italian design schools and on the importance of cultural inclusion and integration.
Allison Scola
Vincenzo Pascale in conversation with Allison Scola, a Sicilian-American tourism entrepreneur, about her tourism business and rediscovery Sicily’s cultural heritage. Scola talks about how her first visit to Sicily totally changed her perspective on life and how she decided to start a tourism business to promote awareness of Italian and Sicilian culture in the United States. She reflects on the stereotyped vision of Sicily spread by the cinema and media in America and talks about her desire to make people discover the huge cultural, artistic and culinary heritage of Sicily, as well as the richness of the people of this land. She refers to the project of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs “Turismo delle radici” (“Tourism of the Roots”), aimed at helping many Americans rediscover their Italian roots; Allison Scola also talks about her “Cannoli Crawl” project, a culinary tour of the city of New York in which one discovers the activities of various Italian immigrants in the city and learns how the history of the city has been influenced by the Italian community. Finally, discusses the challenges brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic and how the world of social networking has allowed to create a virtual community of interested people despite the impossibility of international travel.
Katia Passerini
Vincenzo Pascale in conversation with Katia Passerini (Provost and Executive Vice President of Seton Hall University, NJ) about the US and Italian educational systems. Passerini describes her role as provost, a figure that is missing in the Italian academic system, responsible for overseeing all academic aspects of the university. She reflects on how Covid-19 represented a turning point in our conception of university education, making concepts such as flexibility and availability of online content indispensable. She compares the American and Italian educational systems, highlighting aspects such as the solidity of the Italian high school education, the higher cost of American universities, but also the greater attention to the student and the greater number of services. Finally, she considers how the educational system must respond to some contemporary social challenges, such as the Black Lives Matter movement and the need for integration, or the trend towards “cancel culture” and the need to look critically at our past without trying to erase it.
Stephen Lash
Vincenzo Pascale in conversation with Stephen Lash (Chairman Emeritus at Christie’s America) about his career in the art market, in particular at Christie’s auction house, and his passion for collecting. Lash talks about the evolution of the auction market over time and especially since the advent of Covid-19, which has contributed to the expansion of the online art market and, more broadly, to the democratization and opening up of the industry to the general public. Lash also tells the story of his collection of objects related to ocean liners, especially Italian ones, from which the Ocean Liners. Speed and Style exhibition was born. He explains that ocean liners were real floating symbols of a nation, as well as important tools to understand the political, economic and social history of the past.
Anthony J. Tamburri
Fabio Finotti – Director of the ICI in New York – in conversation with Anthony J. Tamburri (Dean, John D. Calandra Italian American Institute) about Italians living in the United States, inaugurating the cycle of interviews of the Fireplace. Tamburri presents the concept – developed by Pietro Bassetti – of “Italics”, a term that aims to include not only Italians who have migrated abroad or Americans of Italian origin, but also all the “adopted Italians”, those who love Italy, who visit it, who decide to move there, who study its language and literature. They then discuss the evolution of the notion of “migration” into that of “mobility”, the importance of telling the stories of artists and intellectuals of Italian origin but naturalized abroad, and the importance of teaching the Italian language abroad not only at university level, but also in schools.
Antonio Di Bella
Fabio Finotti – Director of the ICI in New York – in conversation with Antonio Di Bella (RAI correspondent in the United States, former director of Rai3 and Rai News 24) about his experience as a journalist between Italy and the United States. Di Bella talks about his long relationship with the United States, from his university days in Texas to his various moves to New York, reflecting on the evolution over the years of the city’s cultural atmosphere and on international “mobility” (as opposed to the permanent migration of the past). The journalist also presents his latest book, L’assedio (The Siege), in which Di Bella narrates, from the privileged position of a direct spectator, the dramatic attack on the Capitol in Washington DC on January 6, 2021 and in which he reflects on the deeper geo-political and economic roots that have determined the rise of Trumpism in the United States.
Presentation
Fabio Finotti – Director of the ICI in New York – presents the new room in the “Stanze italiane” project, the Fireplace, a virtual place for conversations on the relationship between Italy and the United States. Each interview will attempt to explore this relationship, starting with the historical roots of immigration and moving into the globalized world, telling the stories not only of Italians and Italian-Americans, but also of so-called “Italics”, people who decide to visit Italy and learn its language and culture, thus becoming Italians by adoption.