L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, JANUARY 23, 2025 www.italoamericano.org 28 L'Italo-Americano T h i s p a s t F a l l , a r t i s t S t e f a n o C i o l a n d t h e M u s e o I t a l o - A m e r i c a n o o f San Francisco collaborat- ed on a unique exhibition titled "Into the Light", cele- b r a t i n g t h e t a l e n t o f t h e Ciol's family. The father- son duo from Friuli Venezia G i u l i a , E l i o a n d S t e f a n o , made a selection of works that highlighted their mas- terful use of light and their shared passion for geometric c o m p o s i t i o n . T h e i r p h o - tographs are characterized by a perfect balance of lines and angles, resulting in visu- a l l y s t r i k i n g a n d h i g h l y structured pieces. Renowned for his excep- tional use of black and white, Elio's work has been cele- b r a t e d i n o v e r a h u n d r e d solo exhibitions worldwide. In landscape photography, he curated a retrospective showcasing over sixty years of his remarkable career. The exhibition featured images of the Friulian landscape, his lifelong muse; intimate por- traits of Pier Paolo Pasolini, a celebrated poet and film- maker; and a heartfelt trib- ute to Assisi, a city that holds deep personal significance for the artist and shares a special bond with San Fran- cisco. Elio's extensive photo- graphic archive puts together Italian art, architecture, and archaeological sites, with a particular focus on the rich cultural heritage of the Friu- lian region. As for Stefano, his land- scapes unfold like dreams, v e i l e d i n l i g h t , m i s t , a n d snow. His artistic journey is one of constant evolution, blending traditional tech- niques with innovative meth- ods to achieve a perfect har- mony between his vision and the final image. This dedica- tion to his craft results in works that are beautiful to watch and deeply moving. We talked to Stefano Ciol a s t h e e x h i b i t i o n a t t h e Museo Italo-Americano is about to close, and learned more about the legacy of the family, as well as his plans for the near future."I repre- sent the third generation of photographers in my family, after my grandfather and my dad. My grandfather and his brother started it and, after the First and Second World Wars, the business kept on going. In my case, however, I freely chose to continue in my father's foot- s t e p s . " S t e f a n o i s d e t e r - mined to maintain a strong connection with his family a n d t h e a r t s w h i l e a l s o introducing a touch of nov- elty or something that sets it apart, or better yet, some- thing that's similar yet dif- ferent. "I am trying to carry for- w a r d t h e a r c h i v e c o m i n g from my dad. We had the h o n o r o f p h o t o g r a p h i n g Chagall, Giotto, Lorenzetti, and we worked on dozens of b o o k s . M y f a t h e r s i g n e d m o r e t h a n 2 0 0 o f t h e m , therefore we try to keep this digital collection up-to-date for the future. We strive to show the details both in the exhibition and in the cata- logues; this also applies to the exhibition at the Museo where there's a full study on how to combine the images on the walls, the size and the arrangement of the works." W h a t d o y o u t h i n k makes your work close t o y o u r f a t h e r ' s a n d what makes it different? My father and I have dis- t i n c t p h o t o g r a p h y s t y l e s . What binds us together — and is the reason I chose the same career at 15 — is the d e s i r e t o c r e a t e v i s u a l l y i n t e r e s t i n g i m a g e s t h a t demand attention. This pas- s i o n h a s f u e l e d m e o v e r time. But I'm an introverted and reserved person, which means I don't enjoy taking photos of people. In con- t r a s t , m y d a d h a s a l w a y s been fascinated by portrai- ture and adheres to the neo- realism aesthetic. Is this one of the rea- sons why landscapes are your favorite subject? The beauty of landscapes is something I love. We are at the center of creation and of this beauty that has been given to us. To capture these moments, you must open your eyes and be willing to perceive the beauty that sur- rounds you. W h a t a r e y o u r favorite places, the ones t h a t i n s p i r e y o u t h e most? Most of my photos, espe- cially the ones in the exhibi- tion, were taken during my free time, on weekends, and during trips with my family. One of the places I love the most and got all it needed for the best photo is Valcel- lina, thanks to its mountains and the lake. I particularly enjoy capturing the land- scape, especially when snow blankets the ground. Valcel- l i n a i s s i t u a t e d i n F r i u l i Venezia Giulia, just a short drive from Pordenone. But I'm always ready to seize o p p o r t u n i t i e s t o c a p t u r e moments with my camera, whether it's during a car trip o r a n y o t h e r c h a n c e t h a t presents itself. From Friuli Venezia Giulia to San Francisco: how did the connection between the two come to life? With the Lodolo family and the Fogolâr Furlan, we t a l k e d a b o u t a p o t e n t i a l exhibition about the region because of their strong con- nection with it. When we s t a r t e d d i s c u s s i n g t h e venue, someone proposed t h e M u s e o a n d w e w e r e thrilled because of the space w e h a d a v a i l a b l e . W e rethought the exhibition to connect the dots between San Francisco, the region of Friuli Venezia Giulia, Assisi, Yosemite, and Tuscany. W h e n i t c o m e s t o t h e camera, Stefano Ciol recog- n i z e s t h e t r a n s f o r m a t i o n happening from analog to digital, and the importance of converting all the analog work into a digital experi- ence. "We were able to take advantage of new technolo- gies and have results that reflect both the beauty of a n a l o g p i c t u r e s a n d t h e q u a l i t y o f t e c h n o l o g i c a l advancements. We adapted over time, with changes in the use of paper, especially for black and white images. Photography is an impor- t a n t t o o l a n d w e a l l t a k e some through our phones; however, inevitably, most of these photos will go lost. T h e e x h i b i t i o n , i n s t e a d , gives everyone the chance to follow a narrative through p r i n t e d i m a g e s : " P e o p l e need to be captured by the images to follow the story b e h i n d t h e p h o t o . T h a t ' s what makes the difference," Stefano tells us. "It's like poets reading poems, they usually give a story to fol- l o w . O n e t h i n g i s t o t a l k among friends, one thing is t o r e a d a b o o k a b o u t t h e same topic." When talking about the future, Stefano's efforts are now all on taking the exhibi- tion outside of San Francis- c o a n d a r o u n d A m e r i c a . Dallas and Vancouver may be the next stops, with the h o p e t h e e x h i b i t i o n w i l l stick around here for a little bit longer, before going back to Italy. "Elio and Stefano Ciol – Into the Light" will be on display at the Museo Italo Americano until February 2, 2025. SERENA PERFETTO Elio and Stefano Ciol's exhibit "Into the Light" explores light and form through photography The exhibit at the Museo Italo Americano in San Francisco will be up until February 2nd, 2025 (Photo courtesy of Museo Italo Americano, San Francisco) SAN FRANCISCO ITALIAN COMMUNITY

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