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T h e M i g r a t i o n P r o j e c t , a n i n t e r n a t i o n a l exhibition bring- ing together 10 a r t i s t s f r o m S e a t t l e a n d Italy, will open in Perugia S e p t . 2 t h r o u g h O c t . 9 . Curated by Antonio Carlo Ponti, the exhibit can be seen at the Civic Museum, located in the Palazzo della Penna in the heart of the city. The Migration Project is a juried-art show that includes 10 artists who created works based on their interpretation of the concept of migration. The range of artists selected and the media they use are as diverse as their interpre- tations of the thought-pro- voking theme. Five artists were selected to represent Seattle. They a r e : H u m a i r a A b i d , I o l e A l e s s a n d r i n i , M a r y C o s s , Paul Goldstein, and Malayka Gormally. The five artists f r o m I t a l y a r e : P a o l o Lattaioli, Sandford & Gosti, Tonina Cecchetti, Vilma Lok and Kim Hee Jin. Here is a b r i e f l o o k a t s o m e o f t h e artists who make up this tal- ented group. I o l e A l e s s a n d r i n i i s fascinated by the interplay b e t w e e n l i g h t a n d s p a c e . Born in Abruzzo, she moved to Rome when she was two. I n 1 9 9 4 , s h e m o v e d t o S e a t t l e t o a t t e n d t h e University of Washington and currently resides there. Alessandrini is known for h e r c o m p l e x s i t e - s p e c i f i c installations which use con- t r o l l e d e n v i r o n m e n t s t o explore the relationship of light to space. She some- times adds video, music or computerized sound to cre- a t e a n i n t e n s e p e r s o n a l experience that is unique yet fleeting. Her most recent work is a meditative gather- ing space called "The Raven a n d T h e L i g h t , " c o m m i s - sioned by the Climate Pledge Arena for its grand opening last October. She also creat- ed the "Luminous Forest" f o r t h e C i t y o f E d m o n d s , W a s h . , w h i c h u s e d s o l a r LED lights embedded in a roadway to create a visible corridor at night. S e a t t l e s c u l p t o r P a u l G o l d s t e i n h a s a s t r o n g interest in nature as well as ancient and contemporary cultures from around the world. At the age of 60, he m o v e d t o B a n g k o k , Thailand, for a year. There, he began working at a brass foundry known for making Buddhas and temple bells in t h e t r a d i t i o n a l w a y . Goldstein works in a variety of media, including wood, aluminum, plastic and com- posite materials. If he works in clay, he'll first make the m o l d a n d t h e n c a s t i t i n either bronze or stainless steel. "I have no interest in developing a uniform body of work," he said. "I like to explore new ideas, methods a n d m a t e r i a l s . M y s c u l p - tures usually have a story behind them. They emerge from what I have seen or read about or experienced." Among the group repre- senting Perugia is Tonina Cecchetti, a sculptor who, like Goldstein, uses a variety of media for her creations, f r o m s i l v e r a n d i r o n t o majolica. Cecchetti likes to explore subject matter that makes audiences stop and t h i n k , e v e n i f t h e y a r e u n c o m f o r t a b l e w i t h t h e topic. She has shown her work at exhibits in both Italy and abroad. In 2018, she was part of a group of six a r t i s t s i n a s h o w c a l l e d " M u r m u r e s , " h e l d a t t h e Museo delle Mura Aureliane in Rome. In 2016, she was f e a t u r e d i n a s o l o s h o w c a l l e d R i c h e z z a e P o v e r t à ( W e a l t h a n d Poverty) in Massa Martana, Perugia. Also representing Italy for t h e M i g r a t i o n P r o j e c t i s artist Vilma Lok. Born in the Netherlands, Lok cur- rently resides in Perugia. In her twenties, she received an a r t s c h o l a r s h i p f r o m t h e I t a l i a n g o v e r n m e n t a n d moved to Italy. She began teaching intaglio and experi- mental printmaking at the Accademia di Belle Arti in Perugia. In 1997-1998, she participated in the "Grand R e n a i s s a n c e " p r o j e c t i n G r a n d R a p i d s , M i c h i g a n ( a l s o a s i s t e r c i t y w i t h Perugia), was an artist in residence and taught print- making at Kendall College of Art & Design. Much of her work uses paper as part of the composition, whether it is printmaking, artist books o r p o r t r a i t u r e . S h e h a s shown her work in solo and group exhibitions in Rome, P a r i s , G e r m a n y , F o l i g n o , Spello and Shanghai as well as in the US. Sponsoring organizations for the Migration Project are the Seattle-Perugia Sister C i t y A s s o c i a t i o n a n d i t s cohort, the Perugia-Seattle Sister City Association, City of Perugia, and the Palazzo della Penna Museum. P e r u g i a d e l e g a t i o n arrives in Seattle The Migration Project is just one of the many cultural a n d e d u c a t i o n a l p r o j e c t s undertaken by the Seattle- P e r u g i a S i s t e r C i t y Association. In mid- May, the sister city organization h o s t e d a d e l e g a t i o n f r o m Perugia. The group visited t h e U n i v e r s i t y o f Washington, toured several museums and attractions, and was feted at an event h e l d a t t h e n e w C a s a Italiana, Seattle's Italian cultural center. Guests included Professor Valerio De Cesaris, rector, and Valentina Seri, director, I n t e r n a t i o n a l R e l a t i o n s , both with the Università per S t r a n i e r i ( U n i v e r s i t y f o r F o r e i g n e r s ) i n P e r u g i a . A c c o m p a n y i n g t h e m w a s G i o r g i o M o r e t t i , a r t i s t i c director of L'Antica Deruta, the ceramics studio that cre- ated the decorative tiles in Seattle's Piazza Perugia. The meetings in Seattle p r o v i d e d a s n e a k p e e k a t several exciting study oppor- tunities to be held this fall in P e r u g i a t h a t w i l l m e r g e Italian language classes with instruction in, and exposure t o , a r t a n d n a t u r e o r Umbrian food and wine. For four weeks, students will be h e a d q u a r t e r e d i n e i t h e r Perugia or nearby Norcia where they will be immersed i n l a n g u a g e c l a s s e s f r o m Monday through Thursday. The weekends will be spent in immersive guided visits to regional art galleries, his- t o r i c s i t e s a n d l o c a l f o o d producers in olive oil, choco- l a t e , t r u f f l e s a n d l e n t i l s , among other products. To learn more about the Migration Project: https:// seattle-perugia.org/migra- tion-project/ Cross-cultural exhibit on migration opens in Perugia Sept. 2 RITA CIPALLA Professor Valerio De Cesaris from Perugia's Universita' per Stranieri meets with guests at Seattle's Casa Italiana to launch two new language-culture study programs for fall 2022 (Photo courtesy of Rita Cipalla) SEATTLE ITALIAN COMMUNITY THURSDAY, JUNE 16, 2022 www.italoamericano.org 32 L'Italo-Americano