L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, MAY 4, 2023 www.italoamericano.org L'Italo-Americano 2 A n a r t i s t d o e s n ' t s i m p l y c r e a t e o b j e c t s , w r i t e poetry, compose harmonies with seven notes, or paint canvases. Whatever expressive form they choose, artists actually look t h r o u g h m a t t e r — t h r o u g h w h a t e x i s t s — a n d m o v e beyond it. They absorb moods and emotions to recreate and reinvent them, generating new ones in those who admire the results of their creativity. Above all, though, theirs is an invi- tation to stand face to face with a slower form of time: an invitation to meditate instead of hurrying, to savor instead of taking a quick bite. Artists, in other words, invite us to reflec- tion, and to take a stance instead of running and rushing while we are distracted by other things. In every work of art, we'll find a reference, an inspiring prompt. What do I feel? What did the artist feel or what brought them to express themselves this way, what emotion is imprisoned in a sculp- ture or fixed forever in a portrait? Why does a photograph Art lives in the streets of Rome and poses questions about our times From the Editor attract me and where does that two-centuries-old painting bring me? Artists are also a bridge between past and present, a term of comparison with the artistic movements that preceded them, and a leap towards new horizons. They give us secret access to possible, or even just imaginary, futures. They are both what came before us and a preview of what we could become. But they also offer us a free, critical perspective on the world, a call to look into our conscience and think about who we are and how we live. When we enter the Capitoline Museums in Rome, our eyes are immediately drawn to the fragments of a giant, colossal stone statue, whose face still commands respect and suggests power. It dates back to 313-324 AD, and this alone makes us think. Will what we build today last this long? Is this portrait of Emperor Constantine a sufficient point of comparison to nullify today's vanities? Or does it tell us that the ego of the person who commissioned this statue — which was supposed to be 12 meters high — was only partially rep- resented? The truth is that, if we stroll through Rome, there are a thousand other things that can pique our interest. One of them is not far from the iconic Piazza Navona. Even before entering the studio of one of our capital's leading contempo- rary artists, we come across traces of his work here and there: they guide passersby and stimulate their curiosity. And that's how artistic experiences begin, because they always start with something attracting our attention, attract- ing our gaze; they always begin with us asking ourselves what's about to happen. Then the meeting with the artist comes, and we take another step: we see his work and dis- cover a piece of ourselves, of our time, of our environment and its re-elaboration. Now we see seven decades of activity and the ability, without captions or elaborate explanations, to convey a message. Ferdinando Codognotto's art is imagi- nation and know-how, manual skills and creation, nature and machine in a relationship of encounter and opposition, fusion and separation. From the scent of Swiss pine wood permeating his work- shop to the warm light of works that convey the urgency of communication through art. "I am the wood," the artist — born in 1940 — said several times while talking about him- self, thus making clear how visceral his relationship with the raw material is. He loves it because it is warm and opposed to the coldness of bronze and marble, neither of which he is too keen on, but also embody the final result of his creative expression. What does this tell us? It tells us that the experi- ence this artist, born in Veneto but a Roman by adoption, goes through is essential, but so are skills, technique, and knowledge about his ancient material, wood, and carving it. Then, everyone walks on stage holding hands with their own artistic sensitivity and taste: whether they find a con- nection with or distance from the work of art, whether they are attracted or disinterested by it, the experience still defines the observer and qualifies them. For this internation- ally appreciated sculptor, who dedicated his entire life to his passion, art is, first and foremost, communication. It is about being able to say something to everyone, from the sim- plest to the most refined person. And here lies a key to the creative process: it is dialogue, encounter, sharing. But it is also a narrative of a city, Rome, where marvelous works of a glorious past coexist with the modern inspiration of today's artists who, using a precious alpine wood already en vogue in the seventeenth century, and carved with techniques that seem eternal, tell the story of the disorderly time we live in. Simone Schiavinato, Editor Simone Schiavinato NEWS & FEATURES TOP STORIES PEOPLE EVENTS P.O.BOX 6528, ALTADENA, CA 91003 Member of FUSIE (Federazione Unitaria Stampa Italianaall'Estero), COGITO L'Italo-Americano 610 West Foothill Blvd. Unit D, Monrovia, CA 91016 - Tel.: (626) 359-7715 PLEASE SEND CORRESPONDENCE TO P.O. BOX 6528, ALTADENA, CA 91003 www.italoamericano.org L'Italo-Americano Newspaper (a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization), www.italoamericano.org, is the largest and longest-running Italian newspaper in America, not to mention the cultural and news resource for all things Italian in the US. A bilingual newspaper which repre- sents an historical landmark for the Italian American Communities in the West Coast and throughout the US. L'Italo-Americano benefits from subsidies by the Italian Government, Memberships and Donations intended to support and not interrupt a mission that began in 1908 to preserve and promote the Italian language and culture in the USA Periodicals postage paid at Monrovia, California 91016, and additional mailing offices. PUBLISHER Robert Barbera Grande Ufficiale EDITOR IN CHIEF Simone Schiavinato ADMINISTRATIVE MANAGER Patrick Abbate EDITORIAL COORDINATOR Barbara Minafra COPY EDITOR Francesca Bezzone LOS ANGELES CONTRIBUTOR Silvia Nittoli SAN FRANCISCO CONTRIBUTORS Serena Perfetto SEATTLE CONTRIBUTOR Rita Cipalla CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Mariella Radaelli, Matt Walker, Francesca Bezzone, Luca Ferrari, Stefano Carnevali, Paula Reynolds, Nicoletta Curradi, Generoso D'Agnese, Jessica S. Levy, Fabrizio Del Bimbo, Maria Gloria, Chuck Pecoraro, Anthony Di Renzo Serena Perfetto, Kenneth Scambray, Chiara D'Alessio © 2020 L'Italo-Americano Membership: One year $59 - Single copy $2.25 POSTMASTER: Send address changes to L'Italo Americano PO Box 6528 Altadena, CA 91003 P.O.BOX 6528, ALTADENA, CA 91003

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