L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, MAY 1, 2014 Cinema Vezzoli: an Italian artistic genius screening on our society Lady Gaga, Eva Mendes, Milla Jovovich, Jessica Chastain and Courtney Love, are just a few of the many Hollywood celebrities the 43-years-old, Milan based, contemporary artist Francesco Vezzoli has worked with during his artistic career. When Vezzoli, in the dark, walks by "his" cinema, Cinema Vezzoli—title and core of his lat- est art exhibition, a pseudo the- atre with chairs and a big screen, all secluded by red curtains, at least three quarter of the room, comfortably sitting and enjoying the show, suddenly stands up and starts to follow him, as fans would stalk a Hollywood celebri- ty. Photographers cannot stop tak- ing pictures of him, in every hand gesture and each body position, while he is mingling and conver- sating here and there at the press preview held last Friday of Cinema Vezzoli that officially opened its doors to the public on Sunday and will be on view until August 11 at The Museum of Contemporary Art in downtown Los Angeles. Curated by Alma Ruiz, Cinema Vezzoli is sponsored by Yoox, an Italian e-commerce group manag- ing over thirty high fashion brands online sales. The company had worked with Vezzoli before on Con Amore—a limited edition series of work that served to reconstruct town hall of northern east Italian city Finale Emilia that was struck by a 5.8 magni- tude earthquake in 2012. Philippe Vergne, French native, freshly appointed MOCA's new director earlier this year, first welcomed the press preview with a few words about MOCA and Vezzoli's beloved and long last- ing relationship that has nothing less exciting and passionate than a true love story between two human beings that begun in 2001, when MOCA first acquired A Love Trilogy: Self-Portrait with Marisa Berenson as Edith Piaf . Eight years later, in 2009, the first "gift" directly from the heart of Francesco was given to MOCA: a faux fragrance. Clichè romanticisms? Not at all, since the name of the perfume is not Romance, or Trèsor, is Greed. In Vezzoli's Greed, an ironic rein- terpretation of a fragrance's com- mercial, what appears to be a sap- phic, jealous couple of women, driven by selfishness, cupidity and intemperance, fight reckless- ly over Francesco Vezzoli, or bet- ter, over Greed, a bottle of per- fume with Vezzoli's picture on it. The fighting pair is respectively 2011 Academy Award winner for Black Swan Natalie Portman and 2012 Golden Globe award win- ner for My Week with Marilyn, Michelle Williams. Directed by Roman Polanski, the video fea- turing the two actresses can be currently watched at Vezzoli's exhibition at MOCA Grand Avenue as part of a comprehen- sive video installation inside the cinema on display. During the same year, the Los Angeles Museum of Contemporary Art's 30th anniversary gala fundraiser was centered on Ballet Russe Italian Style (The Shortest Musical You Will Never See Again), the per- formance that saw Lady Gaga playing a pink piano with black butterflies, debuting her song Speechless accompanied by the Bolshoi Ballet and Vezzoli patiently needling Lady Gaga's face, but not literally. Ex New York's Dia Art Foundation Philippe Vergne, commented "When I think of his [Vezzoli] work I think of Italian or European Cinema from the 50s or the 60s, the cinema of Pasolini, of Visconti, cinema that captured a culture in crisis, a culture in transition. The work is about seduction, the work is about ambiguity" Vergne continued "The work is about desire, is about sex. It's about oppression. L'Italo-Americano THURSDAY, MAY 1, 2014 www.italoamericano.com 4 It's about narcissism somehow, western culture narcissism." Alma Ruiz, senior curator at MOCA, was beyond vocal on expressing his love for Vezzoli, to the point that she jokely admit- ted she wrote a "little love letter" to Vezzoli, just like a lover, or a celebrity fan would, mentioning how they kept bumping into each other over the years and how much she cherished "a few din- ners at the Standard Hotel in West Hollywood, [..]...a drink or two at the Chateau Marmont, a stroll to the Broadway the- atre..[...]" "It's been a pleasure working with you, and I hope our relation- ship continues over the years," concluded Ruiz introducing Francesco Vezzoli who wel- comed everyone admitting "I hate being boring, I hate being bored, so I'll try to make this as short as possible." After thanking everyone, rather than talking about his work, Vezzoli said "All I want to say is that my country is going through a fairly difficult moment. Contemporary art institutions are somehow shaky, troubled because of financial issues.We hope all these issue in Italy will solve in a few years." Vezzoli did not fail to get a lit- tle sentimental either talking about his relationship with MOCA: "It's just very warm and reassuring, and it gives me a lot of happiness to have been adopt- ed by MOCA for so many years." Vezzoli ended his brief speech reiterating how important his relationship with MOCA has been "MOCA acquired my work and then with the Gala, I was given this amazing opportunity of turning a social ritual into an artwork and a performance and now they are giving me all this space to lay out my dreams, my surreal dreams on a big table." Cinema Vezzoli is part of The Trinity, a series of three different art exhibitions, set to display in two different countries and three different museums, the National Museum of 21st Century Art (MAXXI) in Rome, Italy, the MOCA in Los Angeles and the PS1 MoMA, where if legal issues are fully defeated, The Church of Vezzoli, the deconstructed and deconsecrated ruins of a real 19th century southern Italy's church, supposed to be shipped from Italy to the United States that costed Vezzoli to be stopped by Italian authorities for illicit attempted exportation of cultural ELENA VIPERA Francesco Vezzoli May 2, Fri.-San Trifone Society General Meeting. Mass at 6:00pm, 7:00pm at Casa Italiana (1051 N. Broadway, Los Angeles, CA 90012). For information call Angela Gallidoro (323)255-2163 or Mike Foschetti (323) 257-0302. May 3, Sat.-Comboni Missionaries, Covina "11th Annual Music for the Missions" featuring "Classics to Pop!" directed by Alex Lagman. Reception and Social Hour 6:00pm with Raffle and Silent Auction items on display in the church Hall.Concert begins at 7:30pm at St. Louise de Marillac Church (1720 E. Covina Blvd, Covina, CA 91723). 1 ticket $25.00/pp; 2 tickets $45.00 + 1 comple- mentary ticket. For info: Roxanne (626) 991-0992 or Jim (626) 622- 5392. May 4, Sun.-FAMILIES OF ITALIAN LINEAGE COSTUMI INTERNAZIONALE. Antipasto, Dinner and Dancing to the Sicilian Band at the Mission Viejo Country Club. Prize for best costume (American, Oriental, European). Dinner $45.00 (members) & $50.00 (non-members). For information: 949-363-5348 May 10, Sat.-Knights of Columbus San Pedro Angel Gate 1740 100TH ANNIVERSARY at the main dining room of the Dalmatian–American Club (1639 S. Palos Verdes St., San Pedro, CA) For tickets and program sponsorship Please call PGK and Chairman John Stammreich: (562) 277-6195 or stammiam@yahoo.com. Deadline for Ticket Sales has been exten- ded to May 4, 2014. NO TICKETS SOLD AFTER MAY 4. Donation $30/person. May 11 Mon.- San Trifone Society Day at the Races (Mother's Day) at Santa Anita Race Track (Arcadia). 11:00am. For information call Tony Macchia (626) 286-9636. May 11 Mon.- Associazione Pugliese Del Sud California Day at the Races (Mother's Day) at Santa Anita Race Track (Arcadia). For information call Maria Bruno (818) 241-4672 or Mike Foschetti (323) 257-0302. May 14, Wed.-St. Anthony Dinner Meeting 6:30 pm at Casa Italiana. Reservations: Johnny: 213-250-2464 May 17, Sat.- OCAIW Meeting 11:00 AM Regency (24441 Calle Sonora, Laguna Woods,92637 (949-334-4152) $25 Program Dogs for the Blind...The dogs in training will be there and the rest to be determined. For reservations call: Lucy Gallo 949-472-8218 May 17, Sat.-THE PATRONS OF ITALIAN CULTURE in colla- boration with L'Istituto di Cultura Italiano invite you to the 40th Anniversary Screening of Vittoria Gassman's 1974 Award Winning Performance in "Profumo di Donna" (Scent of a Woman). 4:00 - 7:00 p.m. Screening in the IIC Theater (1023 Hilgard Ave., L.A., CA 90024). Refreshments & light fare to follow. Members & Guests: $ 20.00. Make Checks Payable to: PATRONS OF ITALIAN CULTURE, P.O. BOX 3465, BURBANK, CA. 91508. For Reservations & Information contact: Jo Barbera (626) 584-1174 May 18, Mon.-ICF Branch 67 Polenta Dinner. 6:30pm at Casa Italiana (1051 N. Broadway, L.A. 90012). $20/Adults, $7/Children. For information/reservations contact: Teresa Thompson (323) 721- 1673 mottino1227@gmail.com or Maria Teresa Bravo (310) 914- 3186 mtbravo@ix.netcom.com or Lou Mages (805) 492-9858 pat.lou.mages@gmail.com or Nick M. D'Egidio (562) 947-2819 san1nicola@yahoo.com May. 28, Wed.- Abruzzesi e Molisani General Meeting. 6:30pm at Villa Scalabrini. Dinner will be served. Cost of dinner is $15.00 p.p. For information and reservations call Adelio Di Gregorio at (818) 985-0951. June 8, Sun.-Feast of St. Anthony of Padua at St. Peter's Italian Church. Mass 11:00 am; Procession follows; Dinner Dance at Casa Italiana 1:00 pm. Reservations: 323-225-8119, ext 10. June 8, Sun. - Mother Cabrini Chapel and Library Open House, 9 am to 1 pm hosted by ICF/LAADC/San Gabriel Region. 3801 Scott Road, Burbank, CA. Groups may schedule visit to Mother Cabrini Chapel and Library by contacting Carmelo Sabatella at (626) 372- 7812. heritage, should be soon dis- played in New York. Cinema Vezzoli and Francesco Vezzoli with his constant narcis- sistic presence incorporated in his movie trailers, his commer- cials, and in his movie posters perfectly incarnate and depict our society, our world's vulnerabili- ty, obsessions and deception that paradoxically can be fought and overcome only by becoming a victim of it, like all the walk of fame stars embroidered in tears who eventually saw la Fine of all of it.

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