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THURSDAY, MAY 18, 2017 www.italoamericano.org 30 L'Italo-Americano SAN FRANCISCO ITALIAN COMMUNITY " Vedi Napoli e poi muori" - "See Naples and die": an Italian saying of unknown origin and authorship perfectly represents what visiting Naples might mean to many. There is nothing else worth seeing, com- paratively speaking, more than the beauty and the uniqueness of such city. This mix of colours, cultures, and characters has been caught by photographer Flavio Loreto and her camera, in one single day. While in the usual rush of the daily life, people in Naples became the main subject of pho- tos that give a different point of view of normality. From the Basso Napoletano to the Vesuvio volcano seen from Largo San Martino, from a flow er s hop to Bar del Professore, twenty-five pictures are part of the "O ne D ay in Naples" exhibit, presented at the Istituto Italiano di Cultura in April and on view at Spritzer's Caffe in Alameda from May 18. Flavia, what does photogra- phy mean to you? "My passion for photography started when I was living in Rome, during my last year at high school. I was taking photos of s choolmates and family. Quickly, I realized that photog- raphy was more than a hobby. I needed to discover and under- s tand the w orld through my lenses. I was spending a lot of time with my full manual cam- era walking around the suburbs of Rome or the popular street markets like P ortaportes e. Ordinary people were the main subject of my pictures. The need to share a connection with peo- ple and my curiosity for their lives were the first motivations of my photography." Born and raised in Rome, Flavia moved to San Francisco in 2016 after twenty years spent in Germany, working as a pho- tographer. Photography is not only Flavia's passion, but also her way of relating to the world and people around, to express emotions and feelings. While she started taking photos as a teenager, later she builts connec- tions with set photographers of Cinecittá Studios in Rome: that was the moment when Flavia understood the importance of telling stories through photos. Why did it inspire you? "A fter 20 years living in Germany, I suddenly felt thirsty for Italian emotions and warmth. I was looking for the sun and the Mediterranean Sea, for passion and history. All these things inspired to make a portrait of this magical city. Moreover, I had never been in Naples before. It represented for me an exotic adventure in a city which com- bines reality and magic." Then the idea of "A Day in Naples" Exhibition... "I took photos in Naples in only one day, in February last year. It was my first time in this city of excesses and contradic- tions. I used my camera to try to learn and understand Naples, following my emotions and my curios ity. S tarting from the Vomero Hill, taking the steps down of Via Pedamentina, walk- ing through the S panis h Quarters, Piazza del Plebiscito I arrived at the Bay of Naples where the Mediterranean Sea balances the threatening pres- ence of the Vesuvius. In my pic- tures, you can see the sacred and the profane living together, the hopelessness in the eyes of a peddler, the perfection of Piazza del Plebiscito, the passion of the Neapolitans, the strong colors on SERENA PERFETTO "One Day in Naples" with Photographer Flavia Loreto a gray winter day." Naples has been dominated by the Romans, the Byzantines, the Normans, and the Swabians, but it als o had Is lamic and Spaniards' influences: home to one of Europe's most important universities, palaces, streets, churches, and villas make of Naples one of the most astonish- ing cities in Italy, and probably in the world. Why is Naples so special for photographers? "Naples is like a movie set where fiction and reality blend together. You have the beautiful and the terrifying. There is no better place for creating fantas- tic, opulent stories or shooting a journalis tic coverage about Naples' tragedies." What's the bes t comment about the exhibition that you will never forget? "I heard many positive com- ments about my pictures. The feedback that mostly impressed me came from a lady looking at my exhibit. She said she could feel my love for Naples through my photos and that it is amazing that, in only one day, I captured the true, deep emotions of the city." What's the next project? "I love to spread Italian cul- ture and show the beauty of our country to the people in the Bay Area. I will keep exhibiting pho- tos of "A Day in Naples" in sev- eral locations in the Bay Area, starting from Alameda. I am also very excited to be part of a mixed media book project, spon- sored by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which employs photography and writing. It will be a book about portraits of Italian scientists and profession- als in the Bay Area." Is it something that can be replicated with any other city? "I have many ideas about the coverage of Bay Area aspects that mostly impressed me when I moved to California, like San Francisco's strong extremes. Of course, I also want to cover my wonderful hometown, Rome, in a future exhibition and keep on spreading different aspects of the Italian culture through my pho- tography." F lavio Loreto w ill hos t a "Caffè con autore" (A coffee with the author) on Saturday, M ay 20 from 3 to 5pm at Spritzer's Caffe (734 Central Ave, Alameda) where the photos will be exhibited from May 18 for four weeks. One of Flavia Loreto's photos from her exhibition "One day in Naples" Italian Community Services provid Bay Area Italian-American seniors and famili with trusted rourc to help them live healthy, independent and productive liv. We are commied to honoring and prerving the Italian language and culture, with an emphasis on the strength and suort that com om family, community, education and goodwill. Casa Coloniale John F. Fugazi 678 Green Street San Francisco, CA 94133 415 •362 •6423 www.italiancs.com . . • Translation for seniors /new immigrants • Community service coordination • Information and referrals