At the Giovanni Bonelli Gallery in Pietrasanta a solo exhibition by Enrico Minguzzi (Cotignola 1981) entitled Fragile Creatures opened on April 26 the exhibition aims to be a profound exploration of the possibilities of matter and form in a constant dialogue between natural and artificial between what emerges and what remains hidden.Minguzzi’s work is distinguished by a singular approach: the artist never imposes his will on the canvas letting the images themselves manifest themselves The pictorial surface thus becomes a living organism opposing and revealing itself according to its own rhythm to which the artist gives life in its fulfillment It is in this delicate balance between intention and the unexpected that the radical authenticity of his pictorial gesture is rooted Minguzzi defines his process as an open dialogue with matter where images take shape almost without his knowledge “I go along with what happens,” he explains emphasizing how in this conscious abandon a space of truth opens up where the work stops being mere representation to become a living presence They vibrate with a vitality originating in the constant tension between what is manifested and what remains concealed Each of Minguzzi’s works is an act of openness a dialogue with matter and with a thought that changes form grows and reveals ever new layers of complexity A distinctive feature of his practice is the idea of painting as erosion: an act that does not destroy capable of resurfacing what had been hidden of reuniting the visible with the invisible This continuous tension between hidden and revealed infuses his works with an unstable but profound vitality reveal an even deeper and more mysterious soul Minguzzi’s works speak a layered language of references The exhibition Fragile Creatures also explores the concept of the hybrid as a source of beauty and innovation evolving species generated by the contamination of nature and human intervention His sensibility does not merely observe this process but explores it to the point of making it the focus of a reflection on the possible future trajectories of our reality but propose a near future in which the hybridization of technology and nature becomes the key to our evolution Contamination becomes an aesthetic and creative resource: a search for balance between seemingly opposing elements a new harmony that generates unexpected forms of beauty It is not just a matter of commenting on the alteration of natural cycles but of inviting the audience to reflect on how disparate elements can merge to generate new vital orders In this incessant interplay between matter and form Minguzzi’s works are configured as places where beauty arises from the mixing breaking down and recomposing of visual and conceptual components born of the same creative tension as the paintings seem to want to detach themselves from the canvas to conquer a three-dimensional space Matter takes shape and relates to its surroundings imagining a future in which the sculpture itself becomes part of a living ecosystem Minguzzi envisions the possibility of his sculptures transforming over time: works destined to be invaded by vegetation to evolve in symbiosis with the natural environment reflects his idea of art as a living organism as something that does not end in the creative act This vision does not stem from a rigid conceptual approach but from a natural evolution of his artistic process Each of Minguzzi’s works seems suspended between being just born and the possibility of endlessly evolving His creatures do not belong to a definite time: they live in an eternal present in a state of potential continuous becoming The reactions they elicit in the audience are visceral oscillating between the fascinating and the uncanny Within these familiar yet alienating forms lies something profoundly human something that touches us but at the same time remains elusive This is not simply an invitation to wonder but to a deeper reflection: a confrontation with the invisible with the most enigmatic part of nature and ourselves reflection on nature and its future transformations is implicit His art leaves room for a personal and multifaceted reading soliciting questions rather than offering answers The nature Minguzzi recounts is neither romantic nor idyllic: it is a vibrant It is a nature that surprises and disquiets just like its fragile and powerful creatures ready to live in a world that is configured as an inextricable interweaving of the real and the fantastic Enrico Minguzzi therefore wants to give the public and collectors a glimpse of a possible future where the hybrid is no longer seen as a deviation but as an inevitable next step in our evolution The exhibition can be visited Thursday through Sunday from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. and 4 p.m.-8 p.m. For information visit galleriagiovannibonelli.it. tips and exclusive itineraries in Florence text Francesca Lombardi photo Nicola Gnesi Against the backdrop of this summer’s wonderful solo show in the heart of Pietrasanta born from the collaboration of the Municipality with the Contini Art Gallery in Venice we met the artist responsible for the exhibition Three Infinite Columns stand in Piazza Duomo and reconstruction and rebirth on the other Other works greet locals and visitors at the entrance to Piazza Carducci like a prelude to the spectacular installation inside the church of Sant’Agostino where columns of hollow marble spheres are illuminated in the austere semi-darkness marking another stage in Park’s experimental journey L'Eredità della Scultura ©NICOLA GNESIYou arrived in Pietrasanta in 1993 as an unknown young artist Today Pietrasanta celebrates you as one of the world’s leading sculptors I can’t imagine starting my artistic career in 1993 in any other place Pietrasanta provided fertile ground for my growth and the support of the local community has been fundamental for my development For this reason I don’t consider this success as my own personal achievement but rather as a recognition shared with all the people I work with and who support me on a daily basis and they also describe your marble sculptures how can we turn pain into something that improves us I believe that once we’ve learned to handle anger and pain each individual finds their own way of channelling these feelings in positive expressions that can be healing I’ve found this balance by splitting and breathing life into primitive geometric forms like the sphere and the prism The cracks I create in my works harmoniously reunite the two-tone nature of the sculptures and this creates an effect of continuity and contrast that represents the different facets of human experience Your professional growth in Italy hasn’t always been easy I still have a very clear memory of landing in Italy My desire to work with marble - the very same marble used by the great artists of the past - had completely blotted out the fact that I didn’t speak a word of Italian and didn’t have enough money to get by and my wife was pregnant with our first child There’s no doubt that one of the main things that gave me the strength to carry on was my family who still supports me in all my difficulties and important moments Her presence and support were inestimable during those first extremely challenging years Another thing that made me determined not to give up was my dream I learned to set myself one small goal at a time I’d say to myself: “A year from now I’ll make a two-metre column in another two years maybe I’ll be able to buy materials for a three-metre one…” and so on I’m currently building a new workshop/atelier where one day I’d like to help young artists with selected exhibitions These small goals allowed me to keep hope and motivation alive everything I make is a tribute to those early years of struggle and hope and I continue to work with the same passion and dedication that brought me here There’s a unique synergy between my art and life in Pietrasanta every building and every corner tells a story and these stories are intertwined with my work With its cultural heritage and its vibrant artistic community Pietrasanta is the perfect place to continue developing my practice and exploring new creative frontiers I can’t imagine living and working anywhere else because I’ve found my place in the world here surrounded by people who share my passion; my children have grown up here Do you choose the marble for your sculptures yourself Of course; the choice of marble is vitally important to me Even these cracks need to follow well-defined paths to retain the desired control Seeing and touching the material allows me to perceive these pathways precisely and that’s how the harmony of the piece comes about Tell us about a favourite place in Versilia Every part of Versilia has its special thing and we’re truly blessed to have the sea and the mountains so close a moment of peace and reflection before diving into my creative day The best nightclubs and nightlife spots in and around Forte dei Marmi From the exhibition on the Egyptians in Forte dei Marmi to Park Eun Sun in Pietrasanta Our ultimate guide to enjoying the beauty of an incredible sea along the coast and on the islands at Snail Park near the Pietrasanta Cathedral Carducci Square and in the Church and Cloister of St Our itinerary to discover seaside addresses for a lunch or dinner to remember 18 awards from our region: the whole list province by province PIETRASANTA: Citti, Laurini (19' st Laucci), Terigi (1' st Bertozzi), Da Prati (28' st Romanelli), Bartoli, Ceciarini (1' st Della Pina), Szabo, Aquilante, Bruzzi, Biagini, Falorni (7' st Maggi). Subs. Baldini, Bonini, Sessa, Moriconi. Coach Della Bona. LARCIANESE: Cirillo, Porciani, Antonelli, Marianelli, Vallesi, Salerno, Lo Russo (20' Iannello), Sarti (33' st Romani), Ba (33' st Ndiaye), Capetta (16' st Ferraro), Mori (14' st Tersigni). Subs. Cannizzaro, Tafi, Maarouf, Seghi. Coach Cerasa. Referee: Bouddu of Prato.Marker: 4' Salerno. Your request appears similar to malicious requests sent by robots Please make sure JavaScript is enabled and then try loading this page again. If you continue to be blocked, please send an email to secruxurity@sizetedistrict.cVmwom with: When a friend invites you to stay in a 16th-century palace in Siena We started our week in Tuscany at the Grand Hotel Continental a former aristocratic residence that has been elegantly transformed into a luxury hotel the hotel is a gateway into the city’s rich history Siena offers a more tranquil experience—fewer crowds and an intimate connection to its medieval and Renaissance roots with its frescoed ceilings and historic architecture only deepened our sense of connection to the town’s past we decided to focus on exploring the city’s lesser-known attractions provided a perfect opportunity for a quiet stroll with panoramic views of both the city and the surrounding Tuscan hills with each corner offering a new perspective on the city below We also spent a peaceful afternoon at the Orto de’ Pecci a medieval garden just a short walk from the city centre The garden offers a peaceful respite from the bustle of Siena’s streets with views of the city skyline framed by lush greenery a small wine bar and restaurant tucked away in a side street near the Piazza del Campo with dishes like wild boar pappardelle and Tuscan bean soups taking centre stage showcasing the best of Tuscany’s vineyards and the staff’s deep knowledge of regional wines made for an informative and enjoyable evening It’s a perfect example of Siena’s ability to offer a refined culinary experience without the need for grandiosity Siena also offers a surprising range of cultural experiences One highlight was a visit to the Teatro dei Rinnovati regularly hosts performances ranging from classical concerts to contemporary plays It’s a side of Siena that many visitors miss but for those looking to engage with the city’s cultural life We also made time for the Basilica di San Clemente in Santa Maria dei Servi a lesser-visited church that offers a serene atmosphere and some beautiful frescoes the view over the Tuscan countryside is stunning—another reminder of the city’s deep connection to the land around it we made our way to the quiet town of Pienza which is often overshadowed by its better-known neighbour But while Montepulciano draws more attention for its wine production The town was designed by Pope Pius II during the Renaissance as an ideal city and it’s easy to see his vision in the layout of the central piazza and the harmonious architecture its streets lined with local shops selling pecorino cheese and olive oil enjoying the slower pace of life and the sweeping views over the Val d’Orcia a comfortable hotel that sits right in the heart of the small village of Bagno Vignoni The hotel is perfectly positioned for those who want to explore the area’s famous thermal springs which have been used since pre-Roman times sit in the middle of the village’s main square creating an atmosphere that feels both ancient and alive Soaking in the thermal waters at Albergo di Terme was a restorative experience offering a perfect way to unwind after days of walking and exploring unpretentious place that specialises in local Tuscan flavours and the focus on local ingredients makes this a great stop for a light lunch or early dinner which focuses on traditional Tuscan dishes The menu features simple yet rich flavours with dishes like wild boar and fresh pasta made in-house and the staff are knowledgeable about both the food and the local wines It’s the kind of place where you settle in for the evening enjoying the slower pace of life that defines this part of Tuscany we drove to the coastal town of Pietrasanta While nearby Lucca and Forte dei Marmi tend to attract more attention Pietrasanta quietly holds its own as a place for those in the know The town is best known for its connection to marble with sculptors from all over the world coming to work in the local workshops with cobblestone streets leading to the central Piazza del Duomo Despite its reputation as an artists’ haven Pietrasanta doesn’t feel overly touristy; it’s a working town with a vibrant local community Our base in Pietrasanta was the Albergo Pietrasanta a hotel housed in two restored palazzi just off the town’s main square it’s an easy walk to the beach or to one of the town’s many restaurants we took a short drive to the nearby Felice Beach Club While the Versilia beaches can get crowded in summer You can rent a comfortable chair or lounge and then head to their simple restaurant for freshly grilled fish It’s an ideal spot for those who want to spend a relaxing day by the sea without the fuss of more commercial beach clubs a rustic restaurant located just outside of town with dishes like slow-cooked beef and roasted vegetables that showcase the simplicity and richness of Tuscan cuisine Another standout was Bistrot Bagno Primavera Versilia it’s the kind of place where you can enjoy fresh grilled fish with a glass of local white wine all while listening to the sound of the waves nearby Pietrasanta itself is also worth exploring on foot and the local galleries and workshops are open to visitors offering a chance to see marble sculptors at work We spent a morning walking through the town and then ventured up into the hills for a circular walk via Capezzano and Capriglia The route takes about two hours and offers stunning views of both the Apuan Alps and the sea a small agriturismo where you can enjoy a simple It’s the kind of hidden gem that makes Tuscany such a rewarding place to explore This week off the beaten track in Tuscany was a reminder that some of the best experiences come in the quieter Whether relaxing in the thermal springs of Bagno Vignoni or dining in a tucked-away osteria in Siena Tuscany’s quieter towns and villages offer a more authentic experience—one that’s rich in history Korea.net hosts networking event for Honorary Reporters Accord with Japan to protect both nations' people abroad A bilateral agreement with Japan will bolster cooperation in protecting the nationals of both nations abroad Click here to read more about the latest summit between leaders of both countries Talks with NZ seek to upgrade ties to strategic partnership Korea and New Zealand have agreed to advance talks on elevating the bilateral Partnership for the 21st Century concluded Korea and New Zealand have agreed to advance talks on elevating the bilateral Partnership for the 21st Century concluded in 2006 to a comprehensive strategic partnership Mixed boccia pair to face Hong Kong for Paralympic gold the Jeong-Kang pair will face in the final Hong Kong in mixed pair BC3 boccia 🌕 S-Tier food for Chuseok 🌕 | K-Cuisine Relay | Ep.28 Galbijjim & Samsaeknamul “Reading is so sexy!” — Headlined by The Guardian (UK)　| Balance Talk | Ep Korean German architect in Seoul seeks to innovate Hanok Grassroots group seeks to clean up trash from Jeju waters Polish capital hosts Korean cultural event at Breakfast Market Hanbok-clad children play traditional games President Yoon attends opening of Cyber Summit Korea Descendants of Korean War veterans attend event in Incheon Multicultural families attend Chuseok event Address by President Yoon Suk Yeol on the 79th Liberation Day Keynote Address by President Yoon Suk Yeol at the NATO Public Forum K-pop management innovation changes global music industry Korea-French friendship to drive future partnership Denmark's digital strategy to preserve global democracy 10th workshop of European Association for Korean Language Education (EAKLE) PNP launches TOP COP special class to enhance tourist safety K-Culture Extravaganza Lights Up Jozi: Korean Cultural Centre Unveils ‘Travelling Korea’ Korean Restaurant to open soon in Abuja-Envoy Jusung Gabriel Park & Daejeon Philharmonic Orchestra Production Design: Scene Architects Build On-Screen Worlds Please upgrade your browser to improve your experience Explore the marble mountains and creative community on the coast of Northern Tuscany It’s also known for its breathtaking natural beauty and native Carrara marble (“marmi” in Italian) which has drawn a creative community of artists and sculptors from around the world describing the many artists who have come to the town’s square and set up their art and craft shops.While visiting the area Shaya recommends touring the enormous quarries of white and blue-grey marble where local guides in four-by-four jeeps tell enchanting stories of the centuries of toil and craftsmanship “Michelangelo [himself] harvested his white Cararra marble [here],” he says.For nighttime activities unusual internationally-minded events are not uncommon given the diverse nature of the residents “There was an Alabama-themed music festival one year we were there,” Shaya says Emily,] were one part magic and one part planning.” garlic and herbs.” He adds to not miss the wine list where he often finds rare bottles that inspire his own lists back home Naturally, Shaya is full of food recommendations. “Another to-die-for meal in Pietrasanta is at Osteria La Brocca.” Here he finds a “classic and simple take on some of [his] favorite pastas like tagliatelle con ragu and anchovies in extra-virgin olive oil.” In the summers Shaya loves a dish at Osteria La Brocca called pappa al pomodoro “a bread stew that is enriched with sweet tomatoes garlic olive oil and Pecorino.”The best period during the year to visit Pietrasanta is from April to October visitors might find snow capping the gorgeous marble mountains “[Pietrasanta] stole our hearts the first time we went,” says Shaya Marguerite Imbert writes about restaurants and global food trends for the MICHELIN Guide website and elsewhere The New Yorker and foodie enjoys writing and testing recipes and encourages everyone to cook without them From listening bars to neighbourhood restaurants explore all the top recommendations from Chishuru’s Adejoké Bakare One of the most prominent chefs serving Indian cuisine talks India and his New York these splurge-worthy hotels have the design and prestige to rival even that most historic of city landmarks The first hotel on this list is just 20 minutes from Florence From vineyards to infinity pools and farm-to-table restaurants every one of these 14 Tuscan classics is within two hours of the city explore some of its best MICHELIN Guide dining spots and uncover its hidden gems From exquisite cuisine to artisan treasures get to know the Tuscan city like a local with our handy guide for a curated taste of Florence’s finest Find Tuscan tranquility in a Florentine hotel: no more than 30-minutes from the Duomo With its unique character and dreamy appeal Venice and its highly Instagrammable landmarks are usually high on any traveler's checklist we step away from its main thoroughfares to take a look at its less-explored districts and its most peaceful places to stay The Milan native and scion of the design house shares her tried and true spots in the Italian fashion capital ​​From chic new hot spots to iconic favorites discover the must-visit restaurants and hotels that capture the spirit of each fashion capital this season The MICHELIN Guide celebrated its 70th anniversary in style in Modena We take a closer look at the new selection The interiors of Rome's Hotel Vilòn were created by a film set designer — and it shows 10 more Key hotels in Italy that embody their own cinematic universe A Fashionable Itinerary in the Style Capital A bevy of historic country retreats make their presence felt among Italy's first-ever Key hotels The sublime magnificence of a castle or the simple charm of farmhouse the Amalfi Coast shows off its distinguished collection Non-members can add the privileges at checkout through our 30 day free trial By continuing I accept the Terms & Condition and Privacy Policy. I would like to receive Newsletter from MICHELIN Guide Save lists of your favorite restaurants & hotels It\u2019s also known for its breathtaking natural beauty and native Carrara marble (\u201cmarmi\u201d in Italian) \u201cIt's a quiet town,\u201d Shaya explains describing the many artists who have come to the town\u2019s square and set up their art and craft shops.While visiting the area \u201cMichelangelo [himself] harvested his white Cararra marble [here],\u201d he says.For nighttime activities \u201cThere was an Alabama-themed music festival one year we were there,\u201d Shaya says \u201cSo many moments for [myself and my wife Emily,] were one part magic and one part planning.\u201d garlic and herbs.\u201d He adds to not miss the wine list Naturally, Shaya is full of food recommendations. \u201cAnother to-die-for meal in Pietrasanta is at Osteria La Brocca.\u201d Here he finds a \u201cclassic and simple take on some of [his] favorite pastas like tagliatelle con ragu and anchovies in extra-virgin olive oil.\u201d In the summers \u201ca bread stew that is enriched with sweet tomatoes garlic olive oil and Pecorino.\u201dThe best period during the year to visit Pietrasanta is from April to October \u201c[Pietrasanta] stole our hearts the first time we went,\u201d says Shaya Earn college credit through TROY or elect for an enlightening experience as a non-student The official birth of a unique cultural exchange started 10 years ago in 2007 when the “Piece Frame,” a sculpture by the artist Nall was donated and dedicated to the city of Pietrasanta as a gesture of good will between the small Italian city and the state of Alabama had worked and exhibited in Pietrasanta for a number of years along with other Alabama sculptors More: ADT celebrates 30 years as 'Pearl of the River Region' located at the base of the Italian Alps and famous Carrara marble quarries is arguably the sculpture capital of the world It has attracted sculptors; including the likes Michelangelo Juan Miro and Kan Yasuda spanning a period from the early 1500s to the present day Pietrasanta with its numerous bronze foundries ceramic tile studios and galleries is clearly a center for international artist and generations of working artisans in the northern region of Tuscany More: Hank Williams: An Alabama legend rooted in Montgomery Early exchange conversations centered on the famous Carrara marble quarries used by sculptors around the world and the marble quarries in Sylacauga known for his monumental sculpture of Vulcan in Birmingham proclaimed as far back as the early 1900s that the Sylacauga marble “was every bit as good as the Carrara marble.”  only one Sylacauga quarry was mining marble in large blocks suitable for carving The other three working quarries were grinding the marble in to a fine powder used for filler in paint with an interest in rejuvenating interest in using the Sylacauga marble for sculpting purposes the notion of bringing Italian sculptors to Sylacauga to work with the creamy white marble was born Alabama sculptors would travel to Italy to work in marble using the vast resources found in Pietrasanta As discussions continued between officials from the State Council on the Arts and Pietrasanta ideas expanded to include Montgomery Possibilities emerged that included other areas of the visual arts More: A magical show: Mary Poppins flying back to ASF It was agreed that Alabama would send a delegation of artists museum directors and public officials to Pietrasanta in what became known as “The Alabama Festival: Freedom Dream” covering the period of June 1-15 The “Festival” included exhibitions literature readings and events featuring typical Alabama foods Pietrasanta fell in love with Alabama and the delegation fell in love with the wonderful people of Pietrasanta Sister-city proclamations or agreements were signed with Montgomery by Mayor Todd Strange and Sylacauga Mayor Sam Wright with Pietrasanta Mayor Massimo Mallegni Italian sculptors worked in Sylacauga and at festivals in Birmingham and Montgomery An Italian filmmaker premiered a film about the famous Buffalo Soldiers and visits were made that included a trip to Monroeville to see the play “To Kill a Mockingbird” were served and sweet tea became a hit with all the guests many visiting the United States for the first time Mayor Massimo Mallegni appeared before the Alabama Senate cities but it is not until this trip to Alabama that I feel I have experienced the real America I dreamed of as a boy.”  More: Deadly days: In Montgomery, 9 killed by gunfire since June 15 The Italian delegation’s visit to Alabama was felt to be a big success by all parties involved The love affair between Pietrasanta and Alabama continued to grow a direct out-growth of the cultural exchange got bigger and more inclusive as the years went by Many friendships remained strong and deepened over time but changes in politics and economies here and abroad created a pause in formal exchange activities It was in the year 2015 that the cultural exchange and the sister-city relationship realized a second wind when Mayor Massimo Mallegni was reelected in Pietrasanta and Todd Strange was reelected as mayor of Montgomery Mayor Strange had established a friendship with Massimo Mallegni over the years and the Montgomery Mayor invited Mallegni to his “swearing-in” ceremonies and Veterans Days festivities that November Pietrasanta exhibitions were mounted at both the Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts and the gallery of the State Council on the Arts performances and various trade oriented meetings took place over a week period of time One of many highlights for Mayor Mallegni was marching down Dexter Avenue in the Veterans Days Parade with Mayor Strange Agreement was made a Montgomery delegation would visit Pietrasanta the next year that would include a trip to Florence and meeting with public officials from the Region of Tuscany In June of 2016 a Montgomery delegation traveled to its sister-city and was extended the warm hospitality Pietrasanta had become known for This trip was distinctive in that it included a visit to the famous art center of the Renaissance Florence involving the President and Vise- President of the Region of Tuscany Fireworks over the Arno River was the grand finale to a memorable visit to the historic city of so many icons of the Italian art world The week in Pietrasanta featured museum openings of the exhibitions of Montgomery artists and photographs of the Black Belt assembled by the State Council on the Arts An original dance performance choreographed with a Native-American theme was presented in the Church of Saint Augustine spotlighting the talents of both an Italian and Montgomery dancer Altisimo where Michelangelo chose the marble for his famous “Pieta” was a special memory for the group from Alabama fellowship and the rich Italian culture were in fine form in this week of June plans were being made for exchange activities to take place in the next year A dance festival in Pietrasanta including and featuring dancers from Troy University was but one of the several ideas that would come to fruition in 2017 Sylacauga completed its ninth annual Marble Festival in April of 2017 and by all accounts the event was the best ever involving over thirty sculptors from all over the country The visiting master sculptor from Pietrasanta was the center piece of the festival The cultural diversity between Alabama and Italy is evident there is much that our people and particularly our artists have in common “the arts are the universal language that bring people together and establish common ground” has been proven true in the cultural exchange with Pietrasanta In the small arts city on the Mediterranean Coast and in the shadows of the Italian Alps chances are if you say you are from Alabama you will be welcomed with a smile and open arms the result of the creative act": the words of Park Eun Sun the South Korean-born artist and honorary citizen of Pietrasanta since 2021 who is the protagonist of the major exhibition of the summer in Pietrasanta spread between the Duomo and Carducci squares and the spaces of the monumental complex built by the Augustinian Friars in a perpetual play of light between marble and sky and with those deep fractures running across the smooth greet visitors and citizens at the entrance to Piazza Carducci almost a prelude to the spectacular installation inside the church of Sant'Agostino where columns of emptied and illuminated marble spheres mark another step forward in Park's artistic experimentation almost a precious seal on the exhibition route paintings and drawings by Park Eun Sun are presented in the Chapter Room; finally respectively wife and former collaborators of the Korean sculptor is organized in collaboration with the Contini Art Gallery of Venice and the Banca della Versilia Lunigiana e Garfagnana the patronage of the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Italy and the Korean Cultural Institute The exhibition venues at the Complex of St visiting hours are extended to the entire week (also from 7 p.m Sunday and holidays also in the morning (10 a.m Pietrasanta ’s Susanna Orlando Gallery is hosting a solo exhibition dedicated to Sicilian sculptor Jerome Ciulla the exhibition pays tribute to an artist who left an indelible mark on the world of sculpture but you can feel it,” expresses the persistence of works of art over time a concept that recalls ancient Horatian assumptions and is typical of Ciulla’s art director of the Bagatti Valsecchi Museum in Milan Ciulla’s work will continue to speak for itself perpetuating the artist’s presence.The exhibition presents a selection of works covering a time span from the 1990s to the 2000s including travertine sculptures and drawings Among the works on display are some well-known works that propose themes typical of Ciulla’s production together with several compositions on paper offer an exhibition itinerary that celebrates Ciulla’s creativity and authentic Sicilianity curated the exhibition set-up: the works are placed on ancient woods and unusual bases creating an environment that is meant to make the public perceive the “salvific scent” of Ciulla’s works as if they had just been placed by the artist himself “I am happy to have received the invitation from Susanna a woman whose smile and kindness have always struck me characteristics that are rare in today’s society qualities that bring me back to the beauty and eternity of art the strong value of which I came to know in the relationship that bound me to Jerome Ciulla,” says Antonio D’Amico I loved the myth told with simplicity and elegance that Ciulla knew how to make plastic and dreamy material I have always wondered how he was able to shape a material as heavy as marble while making it appear so light do I understand why he loved to walk in solitude in his Pietrasanta and always advised me to go and see the marble quarries where Michelangelo extracted his marble.” In addition a meeting dedicated to Jerome Ciulla will be held on July 10 as part of the summer festival “Pietrasanta Cult.” Jerome Ciulla moved to Pietrasanta in the 1980s where he established strong ties with the local art community and received honorary citizenship A friend of great artists such as Botero and Mitoraj Ciulla exhibited in numerous cities including London He participated in the 2011 Venice Biennale and created monumental works for several Italian piazzas His sculptures are housed in major museums Probable formation (4-5-1): 1 Citti; 2 Da Prato, 5 Bartoli (2005), 4 Laucci, 3 Terigi; 7 Laurini, 8 Aquilante, 6 Ceciarini (C), 10 Biagini, 11 Szabo; 9 Bruzzi. The great love for Pietrasanta. Strong and inseparable, so much so that they generously share its art stage. The Botteghe di Pietrasanta, with the patronage of the City Council, are promoting an evening event to pay tribute to Fernando Botero and Sophia Vari one year after their passing (here is our latest interview with the great artist) "Mi querida Pietrasanta" is in fact the event this evening at the Parco della Lumaca near the cathedral that will combine the warmth of a community that strongly loved the two artists who chose the city as their buen retiro and the international scope of their strong artistic caliber JUL 2008In addition to the downtown merchants who strongly wanted this tribute the evening will be attended by family members of the two artists gallery owners and entrepreneurs for an art-flavored cocktail Vittorio Sgarbi will give a sort of lectio magistralis on the creativity of Botero and Vari The atmosphere will be one of celebration and of strong art education: some of the works will be projected on some of the symbolic buildings of Pietrasanta with the technique of videomapping in an evocative scenographic and chromatic effect; expert guides will then be ready to welcome for the entire day all those who want to visit the frescoes on Paradise and Hell created by Botero in the Chapel of Mercy From April 6 to October 6 for the first time in Versilia one of the most eclectic and talented contemporary artists on the international scene traditions and nature: everything you mustn't miss during the holidays in the city Our top list not to be missed to enjoy the delicacies of the sea From 3 to 5 February at the Fortezza da Basso the fair dedicated to excellence in taste is back All the news from the most popular gourmet guide PIETRASANTA (4-3-3): Citti; Da Prato, Bartoli, Laucci, Terigi; Laurini, Ceciarini, Aquilante (48' st Falorni); Szabo, Bruzzi, Della Pina (36' st Biagini). (Subsidized: Baldini, Bonini, Romanelli, M. Maggi, Adami, Moriconi, Sessa). Coach Della Bona. FORTE DEI MARMI (4-2-3-1): Ceragioli; Gentile, F. Sodini (18' st Bresciani), Rocchiccioli, Arcidiacono (36' st Manfredi); Papi, Del Soldato; Tedeschi, Minichino (27' st Vaira), Rodriguez; A. Maggi. (Subsidized: Iacopi, Credendino, Seriani, Cardillo, Tonacci, Carpentieri). Coach Cagnoni. Referee: Bulletti from Pistoia (assistants La Veneziana from Viareggio and Nesi from Pistoia). Notes: yellow cards for Arcidiacono (F), Szabo (P) and A. Maggi (F); corners 4-3 for Pietrasanta; recovery time 1' pt and 5'+2' sf. In the second half Pietrasanta played the wise game it had to play but risked a lot twice: on the goal disallowed for offside by Tedeschi in the 53rd minute and then in the 78th minute when Arcidiacono jumped Citti and crossed for the ex Bresciani who failed to score... and on the counterattack it was Ceragioli who denied Bruzzi the doubling "face to face". Playoff First category. Capezzano will visit Capannori and must win if they want to go to the final (group A) where Corsagna is already qualified. Here Pietrasanta. Significant absences in the Biancocelesti given that 'Beppe' Della Bona (on the right in the photo) is without Mattiello (he has quit), Alessandro Remedi (away with the National beach soccer team) and Fabio Biagini (injured). Tendon problems also for Bartoli and Szabo: the left-handed defender born in 2005 has recovered and will be a starter while the versatile Romanian will have the decisive test before lunch. With Szabo out the attacking pair is Bruzzi-Falorni. Secci Gallery presents the exhibition Segni Elementari by Gio’ Pomodoro (Orciano di Pesaro which will be held at the Cathedral Baptistery in Pietrasanta fromJune 21 to September 8 the Gio’ Pomodoro catalog produced by the gallery will be presented Segni Elementari is a project on Pomodoro’s experiments a research that investigates formal solutions and Vertical Tension are representative creations of Pomodoro in sculpture and philosophical investigation and reflection as well as analytical-scientific reflection The work Daughter of the Sun is a deliberate reference to and homage to the Madonna of the Sun a painting on canvas applied to wood in the late Gothic style; it depicts the Virgin and Child between Saints John the Baptist and John the Apostle executed in the years between 1366 and 1369 and today it is kept inside the cathedral.The artist’s works will be unveiled on June 21 2024 on the first day of the summer solstice when in Versilia the sun visually passes through the hole of Mount Forato The desire is to photographically record and capture inside the Baptistery the light of the sun on its longest day when it reaches its maximum height above the horizon at the same time as the event occurs in the Forato The exhibition will then conclude on September 8 the day dedicated to the sacred image on the Feast of the Nativity of Mary when it will be unveiled to the public is therefore and in any case always of great comfort clarity and warmth in the flow of daily life Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker The two cultures are connected as far back as 100 years ago The two mayors added the latest chapter to the tale this past week Pietrasanta and Montgomery formally agreed to be Sister Cities a deal facilitated by Alabama State Council on the Arts (ASCA) and ASCA Executive Director Al Head “You know how you just hit it off with somebody?” Strange said We got to know each other and we kept in communication.” What began as a cultural exchange program has developed into an international friendship Mallegni and a group of artists and delegates came to visit Montgomery in 2009 Strange went to Pietrasanta twice for the program and once just to visit his Italian counterpart Mallegni invited Strange to Pietrasanta’s own City Council meeting where he surprised Strange with an honorary citizenship award The last person to receive honorary citizenship from Pietrasanta was Italian actress and heartthrob Gina Lollobrigida Strange said he felt honored to be in such esteemed and rare company “I was shocked,” Strange said as he retold the story Strange and Mallegni would sing “Happy Birthday” to Lollobrigida on her 85th birthday Mallegni was re-elected mayor this past spring after being obligated to sit out one term Strange called and apologized for not being in Italy to see Mallegni get sworn in but he had a way to make it up to Mallegni ‘Maybe I will be elected another time in August,’” Mallegni said ‘If you are elected another time in August The first person Strange emailed the next day was Mallegni but what began as a friendly visit turned into a cultural exchange as Mallegni shipped hundreds of pieces of art to Montgomery and brought a crew of delegates to meet with local officials tour operators and architects,” Mallegni said Strange prefaced his own swearing-in ceremony by returning the favor Mallegni had given him Mallegni became Montgomery’s first honorary citizen It’s a pleasure to be very close to my friend Todd Strange,” Mallegni said as he accepted the gift Sometimes we go to New York or San Francisco and we see something else Mallegni and his delegates flew back to Italy Strange also gave Mallegni a Montgomery flag which will hang in the Pietrasanta City Council chamber the connections between the two cities began long before Pietrasanta is Montgomery’s only Sister City The two cities don’t appear to have much in common at first glance but the real connection lies literally beneath the surface “The connection was there under the rock,” Mallegni said Both Montgomery and Pietrasanta are located near cities known for marble quarries Revered Renaissance artist Michelangelo frequented the Carrara quarries and the marble can be seen immortalized in sculptures such as “David” and the “Pietà.” This marble has gained international renown for its purity of color “The Sylacauga marble is just beautiful crystal white,” Mallegni said Italian sculptor Guiseppe Moretti moved to Alabama and discovered the first connection between Pietrasanta and Central Alabama “He went to Sylacauga and discovered Sylacauga marble and said “This is every bit as good as carrara marble It should be used for sculpting,” Head said Moretti went on to sculpt numerous works to demonstrate just how fine the Sylacauga marble was a bust called the “Head of Christ,” now sits in the Alabama Department of Archives and History in Montgomery that marble would unite two cities 4,999 miles away from each other the catalyst would come from Alabama artist Nall talented in many mediums but unfamiliar with marble “Nall had been doing work in Pietrasanta for a while,” Head said he was mounting a major series of exhibitions.” The Alabama native had first visited Italy in 1973 After honing his craft with artists such as Salvador Dali Nall had the talent and connections to help connect his home state to Pietrasanta “I thought it would be good to align the two cities to have an exchange of artwork Both their sculptors coming over to teach,” Nall said “I thought it would be nice to have Alabama kind of synonymous with art with the connection of the marble.” Nall gave Pietrasanta a $1 million sculpture called the “Peace Frame.” At the designation of the gift Head and his Italian occupational doppelganger Daniele Spina began to talk about forming a cultural alliance “In terms of selling this idea of a cultural exchange the centerpiece of that was the fact the Pietrasanta was right at the base of the Alps where they get all the carrara marble,” Head said “Carrara marble for sculpting is the most desirable marble in the world “It was the friendship before the friendship,” Mallegni said “We established a lot of relationships with artists and public officials,” Head said Mallegni and his delegation of officials and artists visited Montgomery for the first time Strange and Mallegni have been friends ever since The cultural connections between the two cities are now endless and ongoing Nall’s “Peace Frame” is a defining monument in Pietrasanta and he still takes apprentices overseas to study Pietrasanta even agreed to be a Sister City to Sylacauga Italian sculptors come to the Sylacauga Marble Festival to teach “The real connection to Pietrasanta and Montgomery is the based in the arts,” Strange said “The Sylacauga marble was kind of the lynch pin in that Al Head was the facilitator of that and I was just the recipient of great friendship.” the relationship between the cities is evolving past the arts Mallegni said he is impressed with American patriotism and wants to start a youth exchange program in the future “I want to teach the important relation from nation to heart to flag,” Mallegni said The two cities discovered a way to exchange culture in the marble THE PLAY-OUTS – Versilia, Pontremoli, Piombino e CUS Pisa, in the order in which they finished the regular season, are the four teams that will compete for three places that count towards salvation. Along with Versilia-CUS Pisa, the other challenge between Pontremoli-Piombino, also the best of two wins in three games, will give the green light to the first two teams saved, while the third will arise from the confrontation, again in three games, between the losers of the semifinals. Clasped in the embrace between the blue of the sea and the whiteness of the marble quarries of the Apuan Alps Pietrasanta is not by chance called the 'little Italian Athens' and is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful villages in Versilia And while it has long been a magnet for artists - as can be seen from the many lively galleries in the historic centre - its charm and strong yet refined personality have made it the new heart of style in Tuscany Pietrasanta still stands out for its artistic production A glamorous and cosmopolitan soul that can also be breathed in the most beautiful clubs and restaurants The monumental setting of the American Nall which dominates the entrance to Via Mazzini-Piazza Crispi coming from the Piazza Statuto car park has become one of the main artistic attractions of the city centre since its placement in 2006 Once past Porta Pisana - the only city gate that has been preserved - one arrives in Piazza del Duomo the heart of Pietrasanta's historic centre The square gathers most of the city's main monuments such as the Duomo the Museo dei Bozzetti (Museum of Sketches) and some historical buildings such as the Palazzo Pretorio The square often also hosts the statues of temporary exhibitions that make it a true open-air museum Also known as the collegiate church of San Martino (or simply Duomo di San Martino) while the façade is embellished with a rose window and opened by three portals with historiated lunettes The structure has three naves and its interior houses works of art of extraordinary value such as the marble pulpit created in the 17th century and 19th-century frescoes To the left of the Cathedral stands the bell tower which was built in the first half of the 16th century but never completed It has a brick surface that was originally planned to be covered in marble just like the Cathedral The Oratory of St Hyacinth (The Baptistery) Inside are two imposing baptismal fonts moved here in the 19th century when the oratory became part of the cathedral's work is a hexagonal font attributed to Bonuccio Pardini On its sides are bas-reliefs depicting the virtues The other is a 16th-century work by Donato Benti and Nicola Civitali but remained unfinished there are also some wall paintings by Pietro Cavatorta and the only work remaining of the original 17th-century layout L'Oratorio di San Giacinto (Il Battistero) ph was founded in 1523 and enlarged in the 17th century when the loggia in front of the church the chapel dedicated to St Anthony of Padua and the convent library were built Works of art that enrich the church include the Vision of St Anthony of Padua by Orazio Fidani and the altarpiece with St Louis King of France and Saints Francis of Paola and Elizabeth of Hungary by Anton Domenico Gabbiani On the lawn in front of the church is the bronze sculpture St Francis by the American sculptor Harry Marinsky Until 17 September you can see Bernard Bezzina's exhibition Piazza Carducci and in the Church and rooms of the Cloister of Sant'Agostino The artist returns to his adopted city with over twenty years of works that shed light on his continuous research aimed at revealing the possibilities and aspects of matter along with Fragmentation and Strength are the major themes that recur in the artist's work powerful shadows are at the heart of the exhibition and arise from the encounter between the material shaped by the artist and the place dense with history and spirituality the Archaeological Museum has always been located in Palazzo Moroni It collects archaeological finds ranging from prehistory to the Middle Ages from research carried out in the area in the early 1960s the most important of which is the one dedicated to the Etruscan period models and drawings of sculptures by 350 Italian and foreign artists The exhibits are preparatory works that provide an insight into the idea behind the final works and are themselves true works of art The museum also offers many activities for children with educational workshops where they can create works and feel like little artists Built in 1324 by Castruccio Castracani to reinforce the city's defence system the Rocchetta Arrighina initially also had a moat with a drawbridge and acted as the low point of a defensive stronghold culminating with the Rocca di Sala It was destroyed by the Florentines in 1484 and rebuilt a few years later; the last alterations date back to the 19th century when all military functions had been abandoned the Rocca di Sala in Pietrasanta is a fortified complex that dominates Piazza Duomo and the buildings overlooking it from above one follows a short path - comfortable even for small children even if it is uphill - that leads in a few minutes to a breathtaking view Here is a detailed list of the most beautiful villages in Versilia while below is our selection of the unmissable ones A mosaic of not-to-be-missed experiences and long kilometres of fine beach to experience relaxation and fun in the most exclusive centre of Versilia This ancient and charming village is located in the municipality of Pietrasanta The name Valdicastello Carducci seemed to refer to the Castle of Monteggiori but a document from the 19th century showed that this area was called 'Valle dei Castelli' well before fortifications were built in Monteggiori by Castruccio Castracani in 1320 Carducci was added in honour of the poet Giosuè Carducci Places to visit include the Parish Church of Santa Maria Assunta and San Giuseppe the Monument to the Fallen of the Great War and Giosuè Carducci's Birthplace One of the most elegant resorts in the whole of Versilia for a holiday of relaxation, sea, beach and aperitifs to experience the Versilian nightlife at its best. Don't miss the La Versiliana park, an endless green area with paths, undergrowth and trees including pines, oaks and holm oaks. In summer, it hosts the Versiliana Festival with shows and concerts not to be missed. In addition to the best restaurants in Pietrasanta, here you will also find a short guide to the best seaside restaurants in Versilia and the best on the entire coast Filippo - Ristorante a PietrasantaVia Padre Eugenio Barsantiph Filippo Ristorante in Pietrasanta offers traditional cuisine enriched with modern and lively dishes From the famous roast beef to meatballs via the mouth-watering tortelli alla lucchese and the catch of the day Filippo is a must-visit address for lovers of good taste and elegant and in a refined and refined environment you can enjoy fresh fish of the day Each dish is impeccably cooked to enhance the quality of the ingredients it is also interesting to be captivated by the off-menu with a large selection of carpaccio and tartare accompanied by a wine chosen ad hoc with the sommelier Pinocchio a PietrasantaVicolo S A cuisine rich in the typical flavours of the region to be savoured in a welcoming and friendly setting At the table you will find Tuscan classics such as pappa al pomodoro but also the delicious spaghetti alla viareggina and the fish that arrives directly from the Tyrrhenian Sea From Florence: take the Firenze-Mare A11 motorway to Lucca and then take the A12 motorway and exit at Versilia: then follow the signs for Pietrasanta the nearest car parks are those in piazza Statuto (closest to the centre) piazza Matteotti and piazzale Stazione (free of charge although further away from the centre) Six pairs of arms whose hands are firmly intertwined form a string of six bridges that ideally project toward the sea and become the bearers of a message of peace symbolize our desires and are the installation Building Bridges by Italian-American artist Lorenzo Quin that celebrates the six universal values of humanity Placed in Marina di Pietrasanta's Piazza XXIV Maggio in front of the Tonfano Pier the installation is 15 meters high and is the twin of the installation on display at the Venice Arsenal where Quinn is involved in a major exhibition in the year of the 60th Art Biennale "I am very proud to present my sculpture Building Bridges in Marina di Pietrasanta," says Lorenzo Quinn "because from here I intend to cast a beacon of hope and inspiration for all who encounter it This artwork embodies the timeless message of love and unity urging us to transcend our differences and connect on a deeper level As it stands in the beauty of Marina di Pietrasanta Building Bridges is not just a physical structure but a symbol of our collective journey toward a more compassionate and united world." Lorenzo Quinn is an internationally renowned Italian-American figurative sculptor born in Rome in 1966 to Oscar-winning Mexican-American actor Anthony Quinn and his second wife During his years of study at the American Academy of Fine Arts in New York convey his passion for eternal values and authentic emotions Lorenzo Quinn's works have been exhibited all over the world Quinn has exhibited in many prestigious international contexts captivating global audiences often including for charitable and philanthropic purposes: at Park Lane Barkely Square and Cadogan Gardens in London in the courtyard of the Hermitage Museum in St at the Paramount Group's skyscraper on the Avenue of Americas in New York and at the Museum of Modern Art in Palma de Mallorca; on the waterfront in Doha on the roof of the Shanghai Museum of Modern Art overlooking the Huangpu River Give also installed in the Boboli Garden of the Uffizi in Florence Recent works include Baby 3.0 installed in the Garden of the Metropolitan City also in Venice The Greatest Goal on the occasion of the FIFA World Cup in Qatar Building Bridges in Vieste and Paint your Life in Caorle pietrasanta 2020 courtesy l’artista e galleria poggiali | photo credit © nicola gnesi in truly, an exhibition produced with the support of the galleria poggiali, viale responds to the new iconography to which we are all subject — face masks the artist symbolically expresses the theme through the sculpture ‘the three graces’ set within the church of sant’agostino made in white marble and featuring detailed drapery the subjects depict three women originating from ghardaïa full-length garment wrapped around the head and body having visited the city of ghardaïa on one of his frequent travels viale says that he wished for the artwork to focus attention on the issue of denied freedom and on the clichéd perception of this idea that westerners have the positioning of ‘the three graces’ in the church highlights its mystical and symbolic energy and further seeks to stimulate a conversation around the issues of personal this idea is also reflected in its juxtaposition with ‘stargate’ a sculpture made out of arabescato marble from mount altissimo comprising two monumental fruit crates joined together with a small gap left in between the sculpture becomes both a passage and a boundary — themes associated with outcomes of new spirituality and emancipation there is always a respectful knowledge of matter a virtuous relationship between technique and poetry man and nature that he has cultivated over the years,’ says sergio risaliti director of the museo novecento of florence and author of an essay in the exhibition catalogue ‘this is what has led him to perfect a creative process that has as its purpose the enhancement of the formal properties of the stone and the conceptual and figurative qualities of the human imagination.’ highlights of the works on view in the piazza include: ‘souvenir david’ — a monumental portrayal of michelangelo’s david upon which viale has experimented with a new type of tattoo for the first time; a large torso inspired by the ‘torso belvedere’; and an original work a torso inspired by the ‘torso gaddi’ created in collaboration with creative director marcelo burlon this marble surface is tattooed with burlon’s famous motifs creating a dynamic combination of natural elements and contemporary stylistic expression see more by viale on designboom here, including a series of works made from polystyrene, rubber and plastics, and read our interview with the artist where he discusses his tattooed marble works here artist: fabio viale location: pietrasanta produced with the support of: galleria poggiali invited by: mayor alberto stefano giovannetti AXOR presents three bathroom concepts that are not merely places of function but destinations in themselves — sanctuaries of style In tune with the QS tradition of taking off to Europe for the first weeks of June office related tasks have been taking place in Italy for the past half week from where we drove 45 minutes to the Pietrasanta Skate Plaza a skatepark where every obstacle is made out of the world’s best marble The marble mined in the Apennine Mountains along the Tuscan coast of Italy is the marble they used for The Pantheon, Michelangelo’s David, and what your favorite rapper’s floors are provided that he’s not a liar (i.e they’re probably from Home Depot.) The city of Pietrasanta each of which have several acres of gated land displaying gigantic cubes of potential ledges a beacon of hope for forward-thinking skatepark designers mulled through the marble yards in Pietrasanta collecting donatable scraps of rock that could yield skateable obstacles The 50,000 Euros would then only be spent on pouring the concrete for the floor The result is a creative (and cost-effective!) public space that feels very much like a wealthy D.I.Y Some of the quarterpipes are only two feet tall but conjoin in a fun way reminiscent of your favorite concrete spot under a bridge And the randomer parts of the design flow like rock versions of junk ramps The only issue is that rolling up to bright white marble in the beaming sun takes a while for your eyes to adjust to :) and utilized resources from outside the box I’m a colossal nerd but I think about what the city did with the BAM marble at least once a week Also on completely unrelated to this note but Italy-related note Torey Pudwill’s backside noseblunt on the Milan train station gate is one of the top ten most utterly fucked things ever done on a seven ply skateboard deck You have to ollie up the curb a second-and-a-half before you hit the ledge if you’re going backside for regular and it’s a good deal longer than the Flushing grate bland and made by the government to destroy the imaginations of street skaters This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page In Versilia, the gastronomic offer is decidedly varied. You can enjoy lunch directly on the sea, or an aperitif in one of the most characteristic places on the coast but there are also several gourmet addresses inland Enoteca MarcucciVia G Particular attention is paid to the choice of raw materials to create unique dishes The kitchen elaborates the ingredients of the recipes respecting the tradition of the territory the grill and the cast-iron texts bring back the flavours of the cuisine of yesteryear Bottles from the world's most renowned producers are kept here you are fascinated by the work on the wall by Girolamo Ciulla who interprets the seasonal menu of Filippo Ristorante in Pietrasanta Filippo's cuisine is traditional but modern in its expression From meatballs to roast beef and from tortelli alla lucchese to fish in a salt crust the culinary proposal is varied and always innovative Giacomo PietrasantaVia del Marzocco 19 - Pietrasanta (Lu)ph you can sense a reference to the Giacomo style brought in by local fishermen and ready to be brought to the table once chosen from the inviting counter on display Each dish is cooked impeccably to bring out the quality of the carefully selected ingredients it is also interesting to be "hooked" by the off-menu items tartare and fish of the day in various preparations Blanco Lounge RestaurantVia Duca della Vittoria The Blanco restaurant at the Hotel Mondial Resort in Marina di Pietrasanta is characterised by its modern design taking into account the typical flavours of the area with particular attention to the traceability of raw materials the Pinocchio restaurant offers its guests a cuisine rich in the typical flavours of the region At the table you will find Tuscan classics such as pappa al pomodoro (bread and tomato soup) or delicacies such as handmade ravioli and fish from the Tyrrhenian Sea Pinocchio a PietrasantaRistorante Pizzeria GiovanniVia G the Giovanni Restaurant offers its guests a menu full of delicious seafood specialties it is possible to taste the dishes in the fresh evenings of the magic Pietrasanta Here are the addresses not to be missed in the city Our ultimate guide for an unforgettable taste experience in the city The top places to drink your favorite cocktail Seaside restaurants you absolutely must try on the coast of Maremma Where to go in this period for a trip out of town in Tuscany not giving up the taste bakeries and ice cream parlors: all the addresses to eat gluten-free in the city Un viaggio in questa perla color smeraldo tra spiagge selvagge The dates displayed for an article provide information on when various publication milestones were reached at the journal that has published the article activities on preceding journals at which the article was previously under consideration are not shown (for instance submission All content on this site: Copyright © 2025 Elsevier B.V., its licensors, and contributors. All rights are reserved, including those for text and data mining, AI training, and similar technologies. For all open access content, the relevant licensing terms apply. 2018La DoubleJ designer JJ Martin in Capri.Save this storySaveSave this storySaveAll products featured on Vogue are independently selected by our editors we may receive compensation from retailers and/or from purchases of products through these links and tableware (all featuring wallpaper-sized the California-born designer is constantly on the move exploring her adoptive country and translating her travels into highly covetable led her to the isle’s famous glass museum and resulted in gorgeous Martin packs up her latest La DoubleJ line to host pop-up shops along the way owned by “this lovely man named Antonio,” Martin says a fabulous luncheon was hosted at the villa of Matteo and Susanne Thun where painted tiles create a dizzying delight underfoot and the walls are painted bougainvillea-pink which was set on La DoubleJ china (but of course) featured mounds of buffalo di mozzarella and was attended by Luisa Beccaria and “lots of locals.” Afterwards Martin spent the week relaxing; reading Radical Acceptance by Tara Brach I'm telling you that island vibrates.”) and taking in the views enjoyed post-hike at Anacapri “a lot of Italians have actually never heard of.” Just east of popular beach town destination Forte dei Marmi is a “hidden jewel in Italy and definitely a place I recommend all Americans to go visit.” Here which “gleams of marble” as it’s right near the Carrara marble quarry (History claims that Michelangelo came to Pietrasanta in search of the world's purest marble.) While here and biked and beached in nearby Forte dei Marmi See a few of Martin’s personal vacation snaps and her city guides JK PLACEThis is owned by a friend of mine and he has the chicest hotels in Florence and Rome too; it’s more modern Hotel Villa Tre VilleFor more privacy in Positano Beach Club FontelinaThere are two nice beach-side clubs with restaurants in Capri: Da Luigi and Fontelina You have fabulous food—the buffet of vegetables is unreal AuroraMy favorite restaurant in town It’s right in the center and is good people-watching I like having a table outside in the summer Le GrottelleThis is a lovely restaurant It’s a long walk but then you sit outside with a fantastic view of the Arco Naturale It’s great in early spring; with a full moon Lo ZodiacoWhen we don’t feel like walking and want something easy we go for a pizza here in the Marina Grande harbor It very easy and has fantastic pizza and seafood Capri BluThis is Capri’s best multi-brand shop which is run by the mythical Antonio Arcucci—everyone knows him We had our pop-up shop here and it was fabulous meeting all of his international clientele Da CostanzoThere are so many places to buy custom-made Capri sandals but this is the old-school simple perfect one CabanaThis newish design and tabletop shop was opened by a friend of mine and features bamboo handled cutlery Eureka CeramicsCeramics are everywhere in Capri Eco CapriThey have needlepoint pillow cases and linen mini-totes embroidered with animals which are great for sunscreen and beach supplies Hike Monte SolaroOne of the best ways to explore Capri is by walking on trails that lead you to remote This is where I hiked above the Thun’s home and did yoga on the mountaintop You can also go with the chair lift from Anacapri Book at BoatCircle the island or run over to Positano for lunch at Da Adolfo; it’s all amazing Swim in the Grotta dello ChampagneThis and the Grotta Azzurra are Capri’s most famous cave swimming spots Locanda al ColleA 15-minute drive from Pietrasanta and an amazing location in the Tuscan hillside Enoteca MarcucciOur gracious hosts for our pop-up event in Pietrasanta All of the region’s chicest residents swear by this little spot for their excellent wine picks and amazing food I love the tables outside on the cobblestones Il MarzoccoA modern trattoria with Sicilian-inspired cuisine and lots of creative twists it’s set right in the center of the city’s main square with tons of outdoor seating Zoe BackJust around the corner from the main boutique, Zoe has just opened up a little shop dedicated to swimwear made by niche resortwear names. Perfect for lounging poolside or at the beach. Get a pair of handmade clogsThere are tons of little artisans specializing in handmade clogs in Pietrasanta and Forte dei Marmi. Go anywhere, they’re all great! Duomo of PietrasantaMade in stunning local marble, this grand church dates to the 13th century. It’s right smack in the center of Pietrasanta’s tiny town. Sant'AgostinoA former Catholic church, this gorgeous medieval building now hosts cultural events and concerts. Bagni AmericanoWhen the town gets too hot, all the locals head to Forte dei Marmi, which is filled with private beach clubs that also welcome day visitors. I love Bagni Americano, which has a great restaurant in the sand for an al fresco lunch. Take a bike tourI love an all-girl bike gang — and it’s a great way to get around this little town. smokes one cigarette after another and talks about her life - wrapped in a shimmering touch With her appearance she attracts passers-by Sarah immediately takes care of the questions She assures them that she is not even a citizen of Zurich and certainly not a celebrity and dismisses the questioners without turning them away for the afternoon what they understand and interpret - it is an unassessable situation among strangers Sarah Pietrasanta was born on the night of August 21 Rumor has it that Sarah was already formulating her wishes in complete sentences long before standing on her own two feet would have been an option going from house to house for visitors in exchange for a syrup or an apple Sarah's first imaginary treasure was rock 'n' roller Shakin' Stevens but later he studied communications and political science she has managed the sole proprietorship PS: Text among other things for various media productions and production management She honed her skills as a freelancer through interim positions at the Federal Office for Migration (project management and public relations) as a program manager and presenter at the association Radio Bern during four years of employment as a CD and co-author as well as project production and recording manager at Aspectfilm in Zurich and Bern was the writer's school par excellence: "When the script is filmed So it's a matter of writing the picture precisely before the words disappear." As a sole proprietor and the head of PS: Text she gave clients "your word." Even if this activity required many conversations and meetings; in teamwork she did not have to take into consideration the ideas and preparations of others as an individual mask - if she liked an idea particularly well she discarded all the others without further ado That is now "after more than ten years in the home writing room" a little different: Since October of this year Die Sarah is the new creative director at the BSW agency Blue Spirit But it's also a big change: "Moving home to Zurich among people - that's a lot of change," she stresses she has been commuting regularly to Zurich for several weeks now But she can't enjoy the crowds on the train and in the stations at all She calls it a "people's festival." "It starts at the station: PEOPLE "Train travel disturbs my personality; the smells and sounds the bullies and ruffians - it all affects me unfiltered." Fortunately she was immediately offered several apartments in Zurich She has already announced the new apartment on Facebook: "My new bathroom has three windows - three windows is what my new bathroom has it's not my new bathroom," she says happily Her acting performances in daily life are also noteworthy But she doesn't want the word "manipulate" to be misunderstood in any way: "Manipulate means to fill your hands Or into the brain." Very often she uses this word: "Manipulate." It is also attached to the industry as something negative But it simply means that something is being offered to someone - a product What one then does with it is up to the individual "The creative person is the antichrist," she adds and she also means this in a positive sense: "The antichrist is a do-gooder," she emphasizes with a smile for the individual determination of the present convention and morality." He performs this "liberation" out of conviction the advertising industry is teeming with antichrists Those who are not capable or willing to think for themselves are guided by an ethos or an anointed one even free thought needs solid ground under its feet quoting Woody Allen: "I have both feet firmly planted in the clouds." So it's no coincidence that she chose Bar 0815 as her venue of choice for our conversation The lounge is measured out to its square meters and labeled accordingly the distance to the coat hooks in the checkroom can be read on the walls and the wine bottles on display are visibly counted For some tastes this is probably too clear and orderly the more violently the change is felt." For example in the game with the strictly regulated German language Sarah Pietrasanta's favorite example of this is a comma shift from "Du du." In between are worlds - worlds of view and insight And balloons also wanted to let rise Die Sarah in early childhood When she wanted to become Nena by profession and think in music after the hairdresser from the "Kaff" did not know what haircut would have been necessary for this she decided to be instead of wanting to become something and so does a new masterpiece that’s waiting to be born “Nostra Luna” just has to be freed from the chunk of pure white Sylacauga marble it’s currently encased in Artists Craigger Browne and Marcello Giorgi are joining forces this week to make that happen Their work will eventually have a home at the Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts and will symbolize the relationship between Montgomery and Pietrasanta Browne has mastered his craft over nearly 30 years The Vestavia Hills native is a graduate of the University of Montevallo who has studied sculpture in France and Italy He’s an artist in residence in Sylacauga including a Hellen Keller statue in 2017.  In a symbol of the relationship this piece represents Giorgi is a master carver and classically trained artisan from Pietrasanta.  This will be a reunion for the two artists who both were a part of the Sylacauga Marble Festival in April.  “(Giorgi) and I are both extremely excited about working together on this piece,” Browne said.  Montgomery Mayor Todd Strange announced the future museum addition Thursday at MMFA Strange said the pieces should be unveiled sometime around October Montgomery and Pietrasanta are sister cities involved in cultural exchange Strange struck up a friendship with then-mayor Massimo Mallegni They’ve gone on to name each other honorary citizens of their cities.  “Nostra Luna” translates from Italian as “Our Moon,” and that’s the theme being carried out for this double-sided work According to an early description Browne has given to Montgomery the moon is believed to have two faces in Italian folklore - one side toward the past and one side toward the future The white marble “Nostra Luna” moon will be five feet in diameter It’ll be one foot side in the middle and taper to an edge and into a “new moon” crescent It will rest on three black granite mountains.  Each side will have a “tondo,” a round classical relief carved into it by one of the artists.  What we know about their carvings so far is that Giorgi’s side will feature an older woman looking back over Pietrasanta “with prideful approval of many centuries of classical tradition,” according to Browne’s description Browne is carving a younger woman “looking forward over Montgomery with joyous hope for the future.” Browne said he and Giorgi have made rough drafts separately and that they’ll refine them when Giorgi arrives at Browne's studio in Sylacauga.  “Marcello is flying in Thursday and he and I are going to work side by side until it is completed,” Browne said.  Pietrasanta is hosting an extensive show featuring over 100 of Botero’s works where the artist recounts his past and present selves A tribute to the artist and the city he discovered almost forty years ago this dynamic contemporary center is going all out to celebrate the master who contributed to making Pietrasanta an internationally acclaimed city just like the Columbian master’s noteworthy sculptures yet their eyes shine with a contemporary brand of melancholy Botero was also the protagonist of Piazza della Signoria in Florence, when in 1999 he placed 30 monumental sculptures in Piazza della Signoria and in the Piazzale degli Uffizi. Pietrasanta in 1983. How much has it changed and how do you remember it? But Tuscany-and Florence, in particular-are very important to you, aren’t they? I arrived in Florence in 1953 and stayed until 1955. Even if I then went back to the United States, my training as an artist is Florentine. I love fifteenth-century Italian art and to be able to experience it so close up was a very important moment for me. Your figures have elusive eyes that don’t look directly at the viewer. They appear to have been inherited from … Piero della Francesca! Of course, that’s true. I love Egyptian and Assyrian art and Piero della Francesca. In ancient painting, the subject never looks out at the viewer. The same is true for Piero della Francesca…I like this mystery very much and in my paintings I try to do likewise. When did you develop the ancient but avant-garde concept that art is beauty, first and foremost? Today, a large portion of art is conditioned by the fact that it aims to create astonishment—more to generate shock than to give pleasure. I have always believed that art is beauty: that’s the great lesson provided by past masters from Botticelli to Titian, up until the Impressionists.. Millions of landscapes without a single one being depressing! Yet, in my life, I’ve also painted pain. Especially when you recount your native country using images. Yes, like one cycle of paintings exhibited in many museums that was later re-baptized The Pain of Columbia. Or in religious paintings like La Via Crucis, which is quite recent. This is also beauty though—the beauty of drama. What role does religion play in your life, as a man and an artist? I’m not religious. Nonetheless, today the entire world is dressed in gray and the only way an artist can use color is to paint religious figures: cardinals, popes and madonnas. Even if la corrida and the circus provide an opportunity to engulf a canvas with color. I’ve never gone down into the arena. I’ve only been to a school. Your women (painted or sculpted) are all maternal figures that welcome, protect and provide care. How do you see the female figure in reality? Volumetric women reflect my artistic language: I make everything volumetric: men, women, things, animals… This way of expressing myself is not reality nor is it a projection of my desires. There is no form of lust behind it. (Editor’s note: he uses the word, ‘gorduria’, which renders the idea even more effectively.) Yet, life is a little dry and this is my personal response to that. Certainly, there’s also a component of sensuality. What is your creative process like? Is it methodological or do you let inspiration guide you? What will we see in this exhibition where Pietrasanta pays tribute to you on your 80th birthday. In Piazza del Duomo you’ll find six monumental bronzes, plus one more in Piazza Crispi and one in Via San Francesco. Ten medium-sized sculptures will be placed in the Church of Sant’Agostino together with a series of watercolors on canvas, created especially for this show. Then, there are 40 un-published drawings that I created in the 1970s, on show in the Cloister of Sant’Agostino. Get more inspiration, tips and exclusive itineraries in Florence Volume 8 - 2021 | https://doi.org/10.3389/fcvm.2021.804565 This article is part of the Research TopicInsights in Heart Valve Disease: 2021View all 13 articles The development of turbulence after transcatheter aortic valve (TAV) implantation may have detrimental effects on the long-term performance and durability of the valves The characterization of turbulent flow generated after TAV implantation can provide fundamental insights to enhance implantation techniques A self-expandable TAV was tested in a pulse replicator and the three-dimensional flow field was extracted by means of tomographic particle image velocimetry The valve was fixed inside a silicone phantom mimicking the aortic root and the flow field was studied for two different supra-annular axial positions at peak systole Fluctuating velocities and turbulent kinetic energy were compared between the two implantations Velocity spectra were derived at different spatial positions in the turbulent wakes to characterize the turbulent flow The valve presented similar overall flow topology but approximately 8% higher turbulent intensity in the lower implantation axial views of the valve revealed smaller opening area and more corrugated leaflets during systole as well as more accentuated pinwheeling during diastole The difference arose from a lower degree of expansion of the TAV's stent inside the aortic lumen These results suggest that the degree of expansion of the TAV in-situ is related to the onset of turbulence and that a smaller and less regular opening area might introduce flow instabilities that could be detrimental for the long-term performance of the valve The present study highlights how implantation mismatches may affect the structure and intensity of the turbulent flow in the aortic root further investigations are needed to better characterize the turbulent three-dimensional flow and its potential effect on the long-term performance of TAVs this study is the first experimental investigation that attempts to characterize the turbulent wake generated by a TAV with tomographic particle image velocimetry (Tomo-PIV) we will discuss here the effect of the longitudinal positioning and the resulting turbulence for two different implantation heights In-vitro measurements of the three-dimensional flow field in the aortic root generated by a TAV were performed in a validated pulse replicator with a multi-view imaging system for Tomo-PIV (35). The experimental apparatus already used by the authors for studies of surgical heart valve (36) was further adapted for TAV testing a silicone left ventricle (LV) was compressed by the forward motion of the VP's piston and the fluid was directed toward the test section the fluid reached a sealed compliance chamber (CC) and a tunable resistor (TR) mimicking the arterial compliance and the peripheral resistance of the systemic circulation the fluid was collected in an open chamber exposed to atmospheric pressure simulating the left atrium (LA) During diastole the silicone ventricle was expanded to its original relaxed state by the backward motion of the VP's piston and the fluid was returned from the open chamber to the silicone ventricle To mimic the function of the mitral valve a mechanical bi-leaflet valve (MV) was installed between the open chamber and the silicone ventricle Pressure sensors (PSs) were positioned in the left ventricle and in the compliance chamber to estimate the left ventricular pressure and the aortic pressure A blood analog test fluid with a density of ρf = 1 200 kg/m3 and a kinematic viscosity ν = 4.7 mm2/s at 22°C was used Switzerland) and 16.6 w% sodium chloride (Sigma-Aldrich Corporation The test fluid had a refraction index similar to the one of silicone to reduce distortion during image acquisition Figure 1. Inner lumen geometry of the silicone phantom mimicking the aortic root with reference to the main geometrical parameters of Table 1 Relevant geometrical parameters of the aortic root silicone phantom Pulse replicator and its elements during the systolic phase (A) and the diastolic phase (B) The pulse replicator is a hydraulic flow loop consisting of the volumetric pump (VP) Pressure signals in the CC (PCC) are shown in (C) for the UI and the LI The flow rate (Q) prescribed at the outlet of the VP (Pump) is shown in (D) TAV axial positioning in the LI (A) and in the UI (B) and the relative positioning of the LI (OLI) and the UI (OUI) reference systems with respect to the measurement reference system (OSTJ) where Lactual is the length of the coaptation edge and Lideal is the distance between the commisures and the center of the valve The presented results are mean values of the three coaptation edges The PI of each of the three coaptation edges was evaluated as an average over five consecutive pulses Two 8M 12 bit CCD Digital Cameras (Imager LX Germany) and a set of mirrors were used to image the aortic root flow domain The field of view of each camera was split into two images such that four different viewing angles were captured simultaneously with only two cameras The cameras were equipped with prime lenses with a focal length of f = 100 mm and a maximum aperture of F2.8 (Kenko Tokina Each of the four recorded images had a resolution of 1656 × 2488 pixels The pixel size was Δpx = 5.5 μm while the magnification factor M resulting from the focal length f and the object distance S = 0.7 m was M = f/(S − f) = 0.167 The test fluid was seeded with fluorescent PMMA micro particles of mean diameter Dp = 35 μm (density ρp = 1180 kg/m3) with Rhodamin B coating (Microparticles GmbH Germany) that has an excitation peak at wavelength λ = 560 nm and emission peak at wavelength λ = 584 nm A dual cavity Nd:YAG laser (Nano L 200-15 PIV UK) was used to excite the fluorescent particles at λ = 532 nm with a power of 235 mJ/pulse The time width of the laser was set to 7 ns and the interframe time between consecutive laser pulses was set to 200 μs A low-pass filter (570 nm cut-off wavelength) in front of the cameras ensured that only the emitted light from the particles was collected by the camera sensors The side views of the CCD cameras where used to capture the light emitted by the fluorescent particles as well as to measure the expansion rate of the TAV in the silicon phantom volume reconstruction and for the computation of the 3D instantaneous velocity vector fields with a 3D cross-correlation algorithm (tomographic particle image velocimetry The resulting 3D instantaneous velocity vector field was defined on a Cartesian voxel grid. As shown in Figure 3 the origin OSTJ of the Cartesian coordinate system was located on the centerline of the aortic root at the height of the sinotubular junction (STJ) Because the TAV leaflets' trailing edge during systole was 3 mm below OSTJ in the LI and 3 mm above OSTJ in the UI two additional coordinates systems were defined to have a correspondence with respect to the valve's trailing edge a coordinate system OLI for the LI was placed 3 mm below OSTJ while a coordinate system OUI for the UI was positioned 3 mm above OSTJ: A schematic of the main components of the hardware for image acquisition and processing of the experimental apparatus with reference to the measurement Cartesian reference system can be found in Figure 4 Scheme of the Tomo-PIV hardware together with the measurement reference system The main components for image acquisition are: two CCD Digital Camera a set of mirrors and a dual cavity Nd:YAG laser with optics for volumetric illumination Image storage and processing is performed with the software DaVis 8.4 installed on the PC workstation The experimental resolution δ was the same in all spatial directions (δx = δy = δz) and was estimated from the voxel size (Δvx = Δpx/M) and from the dimension of the spherical interrogation volume and overlap set for the last step of the 3D cross-correlation routine The interrogation volume was set to 48 voxels the final resolution of the velocity field was: Further details on Tomo-PIV are given in [1] The experiments were performed at room temperature (≈ 22°C) with a heart rate of 70 bpm which led to a heart cycle of period T = 0.86 s. Figures 2C,D show the hemodynamics boundary conditions (averaged over five consecutive pulses) under which the TAV operated during the measurements A cardiac output of approximately 5 l/min with Qmax ≈ 25 l/min resulted from the prescribed pump settings The pressure in the compliance chamber (CC) ranged between 50 and 130 mmHg for both implantation configurations The Reynolds number (Re) and the Womersley number (Wo) at peak flow were: where Da = 23 mm and Ra = Da/2 = 11.5 mm are the diameter and radius of the aortic annulus N acquisitions of the instantaneous flow field at different phases (ϕ) of the cardiac cycle were performed with a phase-locked approach such that every acquisition was obtained at time t = tϕ + nT where n = 1 The mean velocities v¯(x) were computed by phase-averaging the instantaneous velocity field such that: where ·¯ denotes the phase-averaging operation over the N repetitions of the experiment At peak flow phase (tpeak = 0.17 s) N = 64 realizations were acquired; N = 24 acquisitions were also performed at tϕ between 0.05 − 0.17 s with Δtϕ = 0.01 s and between 0.20 − 0.40 s with an interval Δtϕ = 0.05 s The overall topology of the flow field in the different phases of the heart cycle was assessed by studying the mean streamwise velocity component v¯y and the mean velocity magnitude: From the velocity fields v, the velocity fluctuations fields v′ were computed according to the Reynolds decomposition (38): where ′ indicates the velocity fluctuation Note that the fluctuations v′ may include turbulent fluctuations The standard deviation σi of the velocity fluctuations vi′ was defined as: while the root mean square of the velocity fluctuations was computed as: At peak flow, sufficient convergence of the vrms′(x) was obtained on the centerline of the flow domain (x = [0, y, 0]) already with N = 50 repetitions (see Supplementary Material) The mean kinetic energy density mke(x) [J/kg] and the turbulent kinetic energy density tke(x) [J/kg] were defined as: Integration over the volume V yielded the total mean kinetic energy MKE [J] and the total turbulent kinetic energy TKE [J]: The turbulence intensity (TI [%]) was estimated as the ratio of TKE/MKE A pointwise auto-covariance Γii(l) between fluctuations at different locations separated by a distance l was computed according to: The turbulent velocity spectrum Eii(k) was computed according to the Wiener-Khinchin theorem: The energy dissipation rate ϵ was calculated from the rate of strain tensor of the velocity fluctuations as: where Sij is the symmetric component of the velocity fluctuation gradient tensor: Local isotropy and homogeneity was assumed to compute the Kolmogorov length scale η from the energy dissipation rate ϵ as: the integral length scale Iii was estimated as: where L represents the maximum correlation distance along direction l and Rii(l) is the pointwise auto-covariance normalized with the standard deviations of the velocity fluctuations σi(x): the TAV's stent struts in the LI expanded to a diameter of 24 mm the GOA in the UI (GOAUI=372 mm2) was 14% larger than the the GOA in the LI (GOALI=320 mm2) A difference of 13.5% was observed from the POAs as well (POAUI=275 mm2,POALI=238 mm2) The different opening areas affected the Reynolds number of the flow fields downstream the TAV in the two implantation configuration Local Reynolds numbers were estimated close to the leaflets' leading edge at peak systole for both IH as: where DLIGOA=20.2 mm and DUIGOA=21.8 mm are diameters computed from circular openings with equivalent areas of GOALI and GOAUI, respectively. Moreover, the TAV in LI showed corrugated and unevenly opened leaflets during systole and accentuated pinwheeling (PILI = 10.7%). Whereas, in UI, it had a more regular orifice area and less pinwheeling (PIUI = 4.2 %). The reported characteristics are summarized in Table 2 Side and axial views of the TAV in the LI (A) and in UI (B) The top views show the TAV at peak flow (tϕ = 0.17 s) and at the end of the diastole (tϕ = 0.86 s) Red dashed lines highlight the TAV's leaflets tips during systole (GOA) while blue lines highlight the TAV's leaflets tips during diastole (PI) The POA is highlighted by yellow dashed lines The white arrows denote the TAV's degree of expansion in the aortic root silicone phantom at the level of the sinus portion Geometrical features of the expanded TAV's leaflet (POA estimated Reynolds number (Re) at leaflet tips and integral quantities in the front half of the flow domain (MKE The streamwise velocity component v¯y the turbulent velocity spectra together with the Kolmogorov and the integral scales are presented in this section for the peak flow phase (tϕ = 0.17 s) The flow field in the aortic root was characterized by the presence of a confined forward core jet and regions of slow retrograde flow close to the aortic walls. In Figure 6, isocontour lines with v¯y=0.5 m/s show a triangular cross-section of the core jet at 10 mm distal to the TAV for both IH (note that in Figures 6, 7 some data in UI is not shown due to poor quality of the raw PIV data in this region) In both configurations the core jet attached to the aortic walls at y ≈ 25 mm the core jet in the UI was wider and slower Mean streawise velocity v¯y in different cross-sections of the flow-domain: longitudinal plane at 45° together with transversal planes at yLI = yUI = 10 The core jet is highlighted by contour lines which include v¯y values higher than 0.5 m/s High vrms′ values were found close to the aortic wall for the UI due to measurement artifacts This portion of the flow domain was therefore discarded for subsequent analysis Root mean square of velocity fluctuations vrms′ in different cross-sections of the flow-domain: longitudinal plane at 45° together with transversal planes at yLI = yUI = 10 Shear layers are highlighted by contour lines which include vrms′ values higher than 0.3 m/s The retrograde flow regions are highlighted by −0.2 m/s contour lines in Figure 6 and are located between the core jet and the aortic walls in correspondence to the leaflet commissures Between the core jet and the retrograde flow shear layers with high velocity gradients were present Figure 7 shows vrms′ values which illustrate the turbulent nature of the flow field in the aortic root Low vrms′ values characterized the flow in the core jet but high velocity fluctuations were found in the shear layers Isocontour lines of vrms′=0.3 m/s enclose the turbulent regions with high velocity fluctuations the turbulent shear layer thickness increased in downstream direction such that the potential core of the central jet closed at a distance of 30 mm from the TAV (yLI = 30 mm) the shear layers were less pronounced and disappeared downstream of yUI = 25 mm The spatial arrangement of turbulent flow described for vrms′ can also be appreciated from the tke in Figure 8. In the turbulent shear layers the energy density is in the range of 0.1 − 0.3 [J/kg] but local peak values of 0.5 [J/kg] were found. Table 2 reports the MKE and the TKE obtained by integrating the mke and the tke over the front half of the flow domain (z > 0) which excludes the region of low quality PIV data in the UI The TI was 19.6% in the LI and 11.4% in UI Turbulent kinetic energy density tke in two longitudinal planes at 45° (left) and 0° (right) for the UI (A) and for the LI (B) They are limited at small wavenumbers by the length of the aortic root (kmin = 2π/Lao) the spectral energy increases moving from the center of the flow domain toward the aortic walls 0] mm is in the turbulent shear layer and the spectrum adheres to the -5/3 power-law for a wide range of wavenumbers ky the turbulent energy is generally lower and only the points close to the wall (xUI = [10 0] mm) show similarity with the -5/3 power-law for a small range of wavenumbers The peaks in turbulent energy in the large wavenumbers should be interpreted as measurement artifacts Turbulent velocity spectra Eyy(kx) for points located at increasing distance from the valve (yLI = yUI = 10 40 mm) on the centerline of the flow domain (x = z = 0 mm) for the LI (A) and for the UI (B) Turbulent velocity spectra Eyy(ky) for points at different transversal locations (x = 0 13 mm) on the center plane (z = 0 mm) at a distance of 10 mm from the valve's trailing edge (yLI = yUI = 10 mm) for the LI (A) and for the UI (B) The Kolmogorov scale η was calculated at yLI = yUI = 10 mm and z = 0 for x = 0, 5, 10, 13 mm (Table 3). It shows a decreasing size of the smallest turbulent structures moving from the center toward the aortic walls for both IH. The minimum values of η were found in the shear layer. The integral scales Iyy(ly) estimated in the same locations show a similar trend for large turbulent structures (Table 3) Kolmogorov η and integral length scales Iyy estimated at 10 mm distance from the TAV's trailing edge at x = 0 USA) model in a patient-specific domain including aortic root and calcifications reconstructed from computed tomography images Moreover, different degrees of expansion of the TAV were observed between the upper and lower implantation due to the different anchoring surfaces at the annulus. In the UI, the anchoring surface was smaller, allowing the TAV to reach a higher degree of expansion at the level of the sinus portions. This led to a larger GOA and POA during the systolic phase and a less prominent pinwheeling (PI) during diastole compared to the LI (Figure 5) incomplete TAV expansion with corrugated leaflets and reduced orifice area (as seen in the LI configuration) could be a common outcome of TAVI if the valve is not optimally positioned The mean systolic flow field in the aortic root was characterized by the presence of a fast antegrade central jet and a slow retrograde flow close to the aortic walls (Figure 6). This overall flow topology has already been documented for surgical bioprosthetic valves (36). The antegrade and retrograde flow domains were separated by shear layers where the velocity fluctuations were predominant and showed high levels of tke (Figure 8) In the LI these turbulent shear layers converged and created a more homogeneous turbulent region at yLI = 30 mm the turbulent shear layers in the UI were less pronounced and remained confined between the core jet and the aortic walls This was connected to higher levels of turbulence in the LI for which TKE was twice as high as in UI Likewise the turbulence intensity was higher for LI (19.6%) than for UI (11.4%) We attribute these differences to the reduced stent expansion and the more marked leaflet corrugation in LI because it constrained the jet to a smaller opening area with higher velocities and a higher Reynolds number in the central jet the corrugated shape of the leaflets trailing edge represented an obstacle for the forward motion of the fluid and likely triggered instabilities which contributed to the onset of turbulence The increased turbulent flow generated in the LI could potentially have a negative effect on the durability of the valve. Moreover, fluttering of the leaflets was observed from the axial high speed recordings in both implantation configurations. This fluttering was similar to one found for surgical valves in experimental and numerical studies (13, 41) and may further compromise the TAVs long-term performance (42) Gülan et al. (43) tested two TAVs (Strait Access Technologies South Africa) inside an anatomically shaped silicone phantom featuring the aortic arch The velocity field was extracted with 3D particle tracking velocimetry (3D PTV) and a spatially averaged turbulent kinetic energy of 0.02 − 0.03 J/kg during the systolic phase was found This corresponds well to values in the present study of 0.03 − 0.04 J/kg (UI) and 0.06 − 0.07 J/kg (LI) Differences between experimental results may be attributed to the different valves aortic root geometries and dimensions of regions of interests Recently, Bessa et al. (44) studied with stereoscopic particle image velocimetry the effect of tilting the aortic valve in the aortic root annulus The influence of the inlet flow orientation was assessed also by considering the spatial distribution of the tke in the aortic root found that the maximum values of tke were distributed along the inlet jet boundary as described in the present work Finally, we compare our results with a recent computational investigation by Manchester et al. (45) who conducted large eddy simulations (LES) in a patient specific dilated ascending aorta with aortic valve stenosis and investigated the effect of turbulence in relation with energy losses and wall shear stresses they recognize the high velocity jet entering the dilated ascending aorta as one of the primary sources of turbulence production turbulent flow was concentrated in the shear layers surrounding the high velocity jet underlined that the turbulence production was further amplified by the dilated aortic root which provided space for turbulence to develop This numerical evidence agrees with the results of the present study where the higher level of turbulence in the LI was associated with a faster and narrower central jet which left more room for the turbulent shear layers to develop between the jet and the wall The quantitative agreement is best for the LI whereas the UI shows lower energy levels than the data of Becsek et al Jude Medical valve with 2D particle image velocimetry and accounted for the limited resolution through a sub-grid scale model They obtained a Kolmogorov scale of 75 μm at peak flow (Re = 7500) that both studies focused on mechanical valves at higher Reynolds numbers the aortic flow is potentially more turbulent and the resulting Kolmogorov scale smaller The final TAV's configuration and stent expansion are strongly affected by the rigidity of the phantom annulus which limited the expansion of the TAV's stent it must also be taken into account that during implantation practitioners do not remove the calcified native leaflets which may introduce a similar rigid mechanical obstacle to the radial expansion of the TAV Another limitation was the absence of the aortic arch which might have affected the impingement location of the turbulent wake in the aorta the turbulent wake was observed in the first part of the aortic root (within a distance of 2 − 3 aortic diameters from the aortic annulus) where the effect of secondary flows generated by the curvature could be considered small the experiments were performed at room temperature and not at human body temperature potentially weakening the anchoring radial forces and reducing the final expansion state of the TAV To mitigate this effect the silicone phantom together with the TAV were immersed for 5 minutes in water at 37° before integrating them in the pulse replicator UI) were chosen ad hoc and the resulting effects on TAV expansion could be considered artificial we would like to emphasize again that this study did not intend to evaluate the clinical outcome of different implantation positions The two configurations were chosen to highlight that small differences in implantation positions may lead to implantation mismatches resulting in significant changes in the turbulent flow behind TAV Finally, the effect of the limited experimental resolution on the estimation of the Kolmogorov scale was quantified assuming isotropy and homogeneity of turbulence and resulted to be approximately 5% in the LI and 20% in the UI (see Supplementary Material) The present experimental study characterized the turbulent flow behind a self-expendable TAV The valve was implanted in a semi-rigid silicone phantom mimicking the aortic root geometry in two different supra-annular configurations: a lower implantation position (LI) and an upper implantation position (UI) The TAV was tested in an experimental apparatus including a pulse replicator and hardware for image acquisition and processing The three-dimensional flow field was extracted in the aortic root by means of Tomo-PIV at different phases of the cardiac cycle The valve presented similar overall flow topology but different levels of turbulence in the two different implantation configurations In the lower implantation the TAV showed approximately 8% higher turbulent kinetic energy turbulent flow was strongest in the shear layers surrounding the central jet These turbulent shear layers impinged the aortic wall indicating that valve turbulence might play a detrimental role in the endothelial cell turnover The turbulent energy content was presented by turbulent velocity spectra comprising well developed inertial ranges with −5/3 power-law decay This illustrated the turbulent nature of the shear layers and the higher degree of turbulence of the TAV in the lower position Axial views of the valve showed a smaller opening area with more corrugated leaflets during systole as well as a more accentuated pinwheeling during diastole in the lower implantation position due to a reduced expansion of the TAV's stent in the aortic root This suggested that the uneven opening of the leaflets and the resulting irregular orifice area amplified the onset of turbulence in the lower implantation position The present study highlights how implantation mismatches may affect the structure and intensity of the turbulent flow in the aortic root Leaflet corrugation during systole and pinwheeling during diastole could be considered as kinematic indicators for the presence of intensified turbulent flows that could contribute to the TAV's structural deterioration careful implantation planning by the heart team should also consider the patient-specific aortic root geometry and calcification degree which may lead to uneven or incomplete TAV expansion The raw data supporting the conclusions of this article will be made available by the authors LP contributed in performing the experimental measurement and writing and critical revision of the manuscript DD contributed in the post- processing and analysis of experimental data DH contributed in the study design and supervised the experimental campaign writing and critical revision of the manuscript All authors contributed to the article and approved the submitted version The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher The Supplementary Material for this article can be found online at: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcvm.2021.804565/full#supplementary-material Burden of valvular heart diseases: a population-based study 2017 ESC/EACTS guidelines for the management of valvular heart disease PubMed Abstract | CrossRef Full Text Management strategies and future challenges for aortic valve disease Surgical or transcatheter aortic-valve replacement in intermediate-risk patients Transcatheter aortic valve replacement versus surgical valve replacement in intermediate-risk patients: a propensity score analysis Transcatheter versus surgical aortic valve replacement in patients with severe aortic stenosis at low and intermediate risk: systematic review and meta-analysis TAVR: a review of current practices and considerations in low-risk patients Transcatheter aortic valve implantation vs surgical aortic valve replacement for treatment of severe aortic stenosis: a meta-analysis of randomized trials Long term outcomes of transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI): a systematic review of 5-year survival and beyond Long-term follow-up of quality of life in high-risk patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve implantation for symptomatic aortic valve stenosis doi: 10.11909/j.issn.1671-5411.2018.04.003 Life beyond 5 years after TAVI: patients perceived health status and long-term outcome after transcatheter aortic valve implantation J Interventional Cardiol (2019) 2019:4292987 Expanding TAVI to low and intermediate risk patients PubMed Abstract | CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar Turbulent systolic flow downstream of a bioprosthetic aortic valve: velocity spectra Standardized definition of structural valve degeneration for surgical and transcatheter bioprosthetic aortic valves Comparing the role of mechanical forces in vascular and valvular calcification progression Turbulent fluid shear stress induces vascular endothelial cell turnover in vitro Effects of turbulent stresses on mechanical hemolysis: experimental and computational analysis ASAIO J (Amer Soc Artif Internal Organs 1992) (2004) 50:418 Research approaches for studying flow-induced thromboembolic complications in blood recirculating devices Exp Rev Med Devices (2004) 1:65–80 Aortic root dimensions among patients with severe aortic stenosis undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement JACC Cardiovasc Interv (2013) 6:72–83 immersed boundary-finite element method simulations of bio-prosthetic heart valves CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar Comparison of platelet activation through hinge vs bulk flow in bileaflet mechanical heart valves A computational study of the hemodynamics of bioprosthetic aortic valves with reduced leaflet motion Fluid–structure interaction study of transcatheter aortic valve dynamics using smoothed particle hydrodynamics Fluid–structure interaction model of a percutaneous aortic valve: comparison with an in vitro test and feasibility study in a patient-specific case Impact of annular and supra-annular CoreValve deployment locations on aortic and coronary artery hemodynamics Fluid structure interaction on paravalvular leakage of transcatheter aortic valve implantation related to aortic stenosis: a patient-specific case Estimation of viscous dissipative stresses induced by a mechanical heart valve using PIV data Turbulence characteristics downstream of bileaflet aortic valve prostheses An in vitro evaluation of turbulence after transcatheter aortic valve implantation J Thorac Cardiovasc Surgery (2018) 156:1837–48 The effects of positioning of transcatheter aortic valve on fluid dynamics of the aortic root ASAIO J (Amer Soc Artif Internal Organs 1992) (2014) 60:545 31. Yerasi C, Forrestal BJ, Rogers T. TAVR pitfalls: addressing coronary obstruction risk. Contemporary Issues in TAVR (2021) 15:45–7. Available online at: https://citoday.com/articles/2021-mar-apr/tavr-pitfalls-addressing-coronary-obstruction-risk?c4src=archive:feed Coronary obstruction following transcatheter aortic valve implantation: a systematic review Pacemaker implantation rate after transcatheter aortic valve implantation with early and new-generation devices: a systematic review Predictors of permanent pacemaker implantation after transcatheter aortic valve replacement with the SAPIEN 3 JACC Cardiovasc Interv (2016) 9:2200–9 Tomographic PIV behind a prosthetic heart valve CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar Three-dimensional flow structures past a bio-prosthetic valve in an in-vitro model of the aortic root and deployment location affect hemodynamics in an in vitro valve-in-valve model Google Scholar On the modeling of patient-specific transcatheter aortic valve replacement: a fluid–structure interaction approach Degeneration of bioprosthetic heart valves: update 2020 Leaflet kinematics of mechanical and bioprosthetic aortic valve prostheses Quantification and analysis of leaflet flutter on biological prosthetic cardiac valves Performance analysis of the transcatheter aortic valve implantation on blood flow hemodynamics: an optical imaging-based in vitro study Influence of aortic valve tilt angle on flow patterns in the ascending aorta CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar Analysis of turbulence effects in a patient-specific aorta with aortic valve stenosis Models of flow-induced loading on blood cells in laminar and turbulent flow with application to cardiovascular device flow Experimental assessment of flow fields associated with heart valve prostheses using particle image velocimetry (PIV): recommendations for best practices CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar Hasler D and Obrist D (2022) Characterization of Turbulent Flow Behind a Transcatheter Aortic Valve in Different Implantation Positions Received: 29 October 2021; Accepted: 14 December 2021; Published: 13 January 2022 Copyright © 2022 Pietrasanta, Zheng, De Marinis, Hasler and Obrist. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY) distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited in accordance with accepted academic practice distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms *Correspondence: Leonardo Pietrasanta, bGVvbmFyZG8ucGlldHJhc2FudGFAdW5pYmUuY2g= Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher 94% of researchers rate our articles as excellent or goodLearn more about the work of our research integrity team to safeguard the quality of each article we publish 1959) is featured in a new solo exhibition in Italy: You are not alone Angels Listening is the exhibition with which Hovnanian addresses the theme of human relationships in contrast to growing contemporary narcissism and loneliness in the Piazza del Duomo and the streets of the historic center The exhibition is promoted by the City of Pietrasanta with the collaboration of The Project Space and curated by Annalisa Bugliani and Alessandro Romanini.Rachel Lee Hovnanian an American artist with a long history of frequenting Pietrasanta and Versilia has created a complex of works ranging from sculpture to painting from neon to interactive and environmental installations This exhibition was designed specifically for Pietrasanta and its spaces creating an ever-closer link between the artist and the city due to the fact that the works were created in local workshops and foundries This art project aims to stimulate reflection on human connection relationships and the search for a sense of community in an age characterized by increasing individualization and isolation “A new stage in Rachel Lee Hovnanian’s long and coherent poetic and stylistic research,” explain the two curators “which focuses attention on the human being in its various declinations and on human interactions and the threats of alterations to the concept of identity relationship and the very principle of reality and truth exerted by pervasive contemporary technologies His works are devices that invite the visitor to reflect on the drifts of contemporary narcissism an investigation in the form of artistic expression that the artist directs on a historical conjuncture such as ours on a society based on communication that does not generate community Lee Hovnanian reaffirms and strongly emphasizes the salvific role that art in all its forms can play by moving from a simple aesthetic element to a means of identity enhancement a tool that produces human relationships.” The exhibition route begins in Cathedral Square with the monumental sculpture entitled Poor Teddy in Repose 4.5 meters long and finely patinated by the skilled hands of local artisans this sculpture symbolizes childhood interrupted and threatened but also by theencroachment of technology over human affections an articulated exhibition itinerary is developed that aims to respect and enhance the architectural and ritual identity of the religious building The path begins with the seven white bronze busts of angels from the Angels Listening series each of which has its mouth clamped shut with crossed tape This symbolizes both resistance to truth imposed by social structures and an encouragement to active listening and openness to others Opposite the seventeenth-century marble altar is a work that directly engages the visitor: The Cathartic Box the viewer is invited to individual reflection and introspection as well as to express “blocked” or removed thoughts by writing them on small manuscripts that become an integral part of the exhibition each visitor leaves a tangible and personal trace contributing to the richness and diversity of the exhibition which consists of a reworking of a confessional This element symbolizes the need for individual introspection and the burden of social control and the need for confession there is also a work consisting of a luminous sign which refers to the confusion of the concept of truth and social judgment where the Chapter House features an installation reminiscent of a small children’s home in a dimension that recalls the memory of childhood and its pedagogical and identity meanings a series of pictorial and sculptural works are exhibited that create muffled and suspended atmospheres reworking relational and existential themes with traditional techniques and contemporary iconography an environmental installation that engages visitors in an experiential dimension stimulating meditation and introspection through not only sight but also smell the exhibition is completed with a naturalistic environmental installation botanical and floral elements compose the word HOPE inviting hope and connection with nature to counter the drifts of contemporary society The exhibition is open Tuesday through Friday with free admission from 4 p.m For information “Luigi Russo Cultural Center,” Via Sant’Agostino 1 Pietrasanta a major exhibition designed for Piazza Duomo and the historic centre of Pietrasanta by pop artist__ Giuseppe Veneziano__ The event is divided into a path of discoveries and revelations among fourteen monumental works all born and made in the artisan workshops and foundries of Pietrasanta confirming the role of the city in the history of modern and contemporary sculpture The title of the exhibition is that of the large sculpture in the centre of Piazza Duomo and alludes to the economic-financial dimension of Western Europe defined through the great political capitals Veneziano 'draws' a megalopolis in the geography of the Old Continent identifying how the productive area has taken the shape of a 'banana' recognisable in the 'blue' of the European Union the economic and political reference merges with the contemporary artistic one where the banana refers to one of Andy Warhol's Pop Art icons the symbol of the famous Velvet Underground & Nico album cover Alongside the exhibition's symbolic sculpture other figures linked to the collective imagination: : Dante Alighieri - whose 700th death anniversary falls this year - intent on writing his Divine Comedy on a Macbook laptop following in the footsteps of the other famous Italian-English artistic couple Gilbert & George The Murder of Grumpy - Giuseppe Veneziano The Blue Banana exhibition project is completed at Futura Art Gallery which will display Giuseppe Veneziano's works on canvas transforming the exhibition space into a contemporary picture gallery with the artist's most iconic pieces exhibitions and concerts to mark your calendar African art takes center stage in Pietrasanta with the exhibition titled Africa Tunes a group show curated by Alessandro Romanini hosted at the Complesso di Sant’Agostino from Jan and produced by the City of Pietrasanta in collaboration with The Project Space and Lis10 Gallery which features work by 17 African artists from the last two generations is that contemporary African creativity (painting sculpture and photography can be found in the itinerary) demonstrates how Africa is no longer a continent disconnected from the international geo-cultural and socio-political map but that it has even inserted itself as a protagonist at the top of the global creative debate and on to the visual arts where by now African artists are increasingly present (and increasingly appreciated) when they exhibit their works at biennials or when they enter the collections of museums and foundations.Another line of discussion is the conflicts that still ravage Africa not least in view of the fact that 2024 marks the 30th anniversary of the genocide in Rwanda when during the violence perpetrated under the responsibility of the Hutu-led government at least 500,000 ethnic Tutsi Rwandans were barbarously killed (and the violence did not spare even moderate Hutus) And also this year marks the 30th anniversary of the first racially nondiscrimination-free elections that took place in South Africa and saw Nelson Mandela win Many of the artists in the exhibition experienced these events up close and are confronted with artists from earlier generations who were culturally formed in the context of the colonial independence won in the 1960s and pursued an identity claim after colonization The exhibition begins in the churchyard of St Augustine’s Church with a sculpture by Ivorian Brice Esso an artist who fuses African themes with the technical tradition of Italian Renaissance plastic art and then enters the interior of the church with works by another Ivorian These are works with an unmistakable style borrowed from the expressive forms with which the street children in Abidjan (almost always the protagonists of his paintings) “decorated” the walls of the city self-portraits and “statements,” the only way to bear witness to their existence In the other rooms of the exhibition venue one encounters the work of Esther Mahlangu representing South Africa standard-bearers of the centuries-old Ndebele style of painting testifying to their political and social commitment: from the defense of childhood passing through the claims of gender rights as well as the desire to keep alive the artistic identity tradition of the roots reworked in a harmonious formula that links it to thecontemporary international iconography are the themes in the works of Mederic Turay (Morocco) Nù Barreto (Guinea Bissau) and the very young Ivorian Nanglè There is no shortage of internationally renowned artists who participated in the last Venice Biennale has been able to create a language that blends body art and photography that is perfectly matched to a relentless activism for women’s rights Along similar lines is the young Nigerian artist Michelle Okpare who offers ethnic color patterns that represent expressive alphabets of a nonverbal language And the Senegalese Seni Awa Camara already present at the epochal exhibition Magiciens de la Terre in 1989 in Paris with her terracotta sculptures with ritual and identity values while the Mozambican Gonçalo Mabunda its ability to transform scars into poetry and warning The exhibition is open with free admission from Jan 2024 at the Church and Cloister of Sant’Agostino in Pietrasanta (Lu) little-visited town on Italy’s Versilia coast has been a magnet for artists throughout history but has somehow evaded Tuscany’s heavier tourist footfall Get your weekly dose of armchair travelling A society that has removed pain from the horizon of one’s experiences a society that tries to hide pain in every way a society that has elected personal happiness as the supreme good to the point that today exploitation is no longer achieved through coercion but through inducing self-assertion: power itself disengages from pain and expresses itself without repression “forced with all its might into the corset of liking,” writes the German philosopher: art has been stripped of all aspiration to complexity Indeed: complexity is looked upon with suspicion The paradigm holds true for the visual arts but it is also beginning to affect the dominant art of our time cinema: think of the demented discussions of the last few days fueled by legions of improvised critics who rage in the press in front of which the only question on which ink is wasted is whether Edoardo De Angelis’ work is to be considered essentially fascist or anti-fascist still room for an art that manages to free itself from the logic of the like that manages to escape the asphyxiating and analgesic Manichaeism of today’s public discourse?This one might ask oneself when visiting The blind leading the dead the solo exhibition of Jake & Dinos Chapman who return to Italy in the large white hall of The Project Space in Pietrasanta thirteen years after their last appearance excluding group shows (it was 2010 and the two English brothers were exhibiting at the Fondazione Pino Pascali) Is there then art that provokes a reaction Let’s provide the short answer right away which is also rather lapidary: probably not or at least not according to the common understanding that a work of art must necessarily change the way we see things But it is an answer that involves a necessarily long articulation which in part finds its reasons in the excellent exhibition well curated by Alessandro Romanini and Luca Beatrice who in fact consign to the hands of history the work of the bad boys of the so-called Young British Art The Versilia exhibition condenses thirty years of production into a very careful selection founded more than robustly on the criterion of quality: translated but each of the works on display is representative of the many phases of Jake and Dinos Chapman’s production all the mediums with which they worked are explored and there is no shortage of more recent works either The most distant work in time is Two-faced Cunt a 1997 work in which the bodies of two prepubescent girls are joined at head height the exhibition of such a piece would have aroused scandal as when in 2014 the scolding of the Observatory on the Rights of Minors came down on an exhibition at MAXXI in Rome that displayed a similar work Piggyback was denied the status of a work of art and the predictable call for censorship was raised that what goes on around art such as his is nothing more than one big melodrama (“I think art functions as an instrument that draws people into a kind of melodramatic pantomime [...] If people assume that somehow a work of art should be shocking then I think they play their part in the exchange by pretending to be shocked I think that anyone who is shocked by art is probably also shocked by .. that there is nothing heartening in the two brothers’ art is a given by now: one does not generally go to a Jake and Dinos Chapman exhibition to get answers Those who hope for this are quite naïve One needs then an extra degree of insight to understand what the two brothers square before the gaze of the increasingly less astonished observer the fact that today’s Western society tries to do everything possible to conceal grief does not mean that grief no longer exists and when it shows up in all its brutal ferocity power does everything in its power to curb it to push it away (this was well seen during the pandemic) Jake and Dinos Chapman choose the opposite: the ostentation of pain in a lucid theater made of bones and blood in a noisy grand-guignolese orgy that has been going on uninterruptedly since the 1990s a sarcastic series of bronze monuments celebrating the failed immortality of terrorists who but failed because their device did not go off The attempt to prove that immortality is a mere illusion finds vent then in the series One day you will no longer be loved real Victorian-era paintings on which the Chapman brothers intervene with an idea identical to what Asger Jorn put into practice on cheap nineteenth-century paintings uncovered among the junk at flea markets: that is gave life to his peintures détournées to initiate a dialogue with the past “aimed at the corroboration and actualization” of those same outdated artistic manifestations as well as “at cultural renewal in general” (so Daniele Panucci) while the Chapman brothers produce a series of vanitas to remind us that that aspiration to immortality is doomed to rot identical results: bizarre and grotesque monsters where before there were tranquil bucolic views (Jorn) or innocuous Victorian portraits (Chapman) The inclusion of the series in the exhibition is also useful to recall how the two English brothers have also done the same on a valuable complete series (paid for by the artists twenty-five thousand pounds in the early 2000s) of Goya’s Desastres de la guerra (perhaps the artist they most admire) engaged in a 69 (they were first exhibited at the 2003 Turner Prize where the brothers were finalists: Grayson Perry eventually won) with a pair of sculptures dedicated to the ubiquitous McDonald’s junk food and with the heartbreaking and burlesque I wanted to punish myself starring a chicken who tortures himself by operating a machine that drives a nail through his eye and part of a series of machines where the bird suffers all kinds of things The Chapman Brothers recently celebrated their 30-year career and their art has not changed one iota from when they first began surprising visitors to their exhibitions An aspect that is perfectly in line with their way of understanding art: if there is nothing new to say repeating what has already been said is essential in the entire history of art before Romanticism the yardstick by which to judge the goodness of a work of art their works move among the links in the long chain of postmodernism of which the Greek-born brothers unquestionably represent the darkest and most disenchanted soul Their entire production is a sequence of narratives about irrationality with its deliberately confused and orderly layout envelops the visitor with scenes of this extreme tragedy to the point of paroxysm the world around their works has changed: in a present in which a few swipes with one’s cell phone are enough to access images of violence that are often far more stark than that exhibited in the Chapman brothers’ staging and infinitely more disturbing and disturbing because they are real it is assumed that the percentage of the public that remains interjected and disturbed before their works has drastically reduced noted as recently as a few years ago Adrian Searle among the few signatures still producing art criticism worthy of the name the Chapman brothers’ art “is funny The Chapman brothers are very good at what they do even when they do things wrong on purpose.” What is routinely consumed around their works is melodrama The apparent paradox lies in the fact that the amusement their works provoke is more inclined to go along with the philosophical background on which the two brothers’ works germinate In the catalog of Jake and Dinos Chapman’s solo exhibition at the Tate in Liverpool in 2006 one can skim through the pages of an essay by Tanya Barson entitled Powers of laughter where one reads that the laughter aroused by the Chapman brothers’ works leads back to Nietzsche and Bataille in Nietzsche’s Parable of the Madman the announcement of God’s death elicits in the mouths of nonbelievers “God is nothingness on a human scale so as to give an image or mask to transcendence: laughter brings us back to immanence and able to laugh more thunderously for having reached the limit.” The Chapman brothers’ art is laughter in the face of the limit it is their stance in the face of collective neurosis and in this sense their production is a kind of reiteration of a work that already exists It is as if they look at you and say respice finem with a smile on their face It is with a laugh that one grasps the simple complexity of their work Their works should be observed as a kind of record as the year-by-year account of the direction we have taken But it is a direction we have been following since prehistory: it is the speed that varies (according to advances in technology disarming: the extinction of a species is in the natural order of things and it is difficult to accept this idea if we assume that our existence has a higher purpose (the title chosen for the exhibition will thus also be clearer) Is there a possibility of deriving something positive This is not Jake and Dinos Chapman’s problem: for them when a work leaves his studio it becomes the public’s problem debating the perspective that the two brothers’ production places before the viewer the optimists will retort with the most obvious of “thank fuck,” point out that the deadline is long term and oppose their sacrosanct worldview the pessimists will note that we are all going to die anyway and remind with Bataille that the practice of joy in the face of death is the most important thing most will honor their works by inscribing it in the categories of “wow that’s cool” or “oh god that’s obscene,” and at most will argue about whether or not to show the torture scenes that populate their repertoire Business as usual in the palliative society where everyone seeks happiness at any cost Wanted in RomeMagazine who died in Monaco on Friday at the age of 91 is to be buried in the Tuscany region of Italy famed internationally for his paintings and sculptures of corpulent figures his son Fernando Botero Zea told Italian news agency ANSA the Greek artist Sophia Vari who died just four months before Botero Italy was the most important country for my father," Botero Zea told ANSA Botero was an honorary citizen of Pietrasanta and before his death he expressed the wish to be buried in the town's cemetery The town's mayor Alberto Stefano Giovannetti underlined the strong bond that has long linked Botero with Pietrasanta telling Tuscan newspaper La Nazione: "If we are a cradle of art Wanted in Rome ™ is member of the Wanted World Wide Ltd network.Click here to find out more about our Network or Follow us on social networks © 2025 / 2026 Wanted World Wide LTD Network the summer in Marina di Pietrasanta offers unmissable evenings with the 44th La Versiliana Festival A multidisciplinary and versatile festival that summons singers more than 60 afternoon meetings at the Café with the big names in literature and no less than 23 shows for children for the La Versiliana dei Piccoli review the festival's programme of performances spreads between the large open-air theatre La Versiliana immersed in the pine forest the Spazio Caffè Romano Battaglia as a venue for theatrical performances and the Giardino Barsanti inside the Chiostro di Sant'Agostino in the historic centre of Pietrasanta confirming the Festival's versatile character and ability to expand its perimeter but also touches on Seravezza with its Palazzo Mediceo and the locality of Focette with performances for children The theatre programme opens on 12 July with the show Callas a dance tribute to the Divina Maria Callas exactly 100 years after her birth staged by Rosanna Brocanello's Opus Ballet Company with choreography by Adriano Bolognino Among the protagonists of the multifaceted programme are famous actors music stars and masters of laughter such as Enrico Lo Verso with Dado Moroni and Roberto Gatto (21/7); with Luca Barbarossa ("La Verità Umberto Tozzi ("Gloria Forever" Tour 11/8) the Cugini di campagna ("Anima mia" Tour 12/8) Massimo Ranieri ("Tutti i sogni ancora in volo" Tour 13/8) Iva Zanicchi ("Gargana" Tour 23/8); Andrea Pucci ("Pucci Summer Tour" 17/8) Max Angioni ("Miracolato" 10/8) Paolo Ruffini ("Io Il ritorno dei mitici doppiaggi in Livornesaccio 14 August) Francesco Cicchella ("Bis!" 19 August) Maurizio Battista ("Ai miei tempi non era così" 25 August) Also on the programme are the musical for the whole family "Mortina" by the Compagnia delle Formiche based on Barbara Cantini's series ( 4 August) concerts in tribute to Lucio Battisti ("Battisti Omaggio alla Carrà" with Beatrice Baldaccini 25 July) Ennio Morricone ("Tributo a Morricone Film History" 16 August) New this season is the ample space dedicated to the best-loved social stars comedians and content creators who have reached high peaks of popularity on the web: Jonathan Canini (20 July) Ginevra Fenyes ("Cono o Coppetta?" 26 July) and Filippo Caccamo ("Tel chi Filippo" 28 July) The level of the Versiliana is very high when it comes to dance: world star Sergio Bernal étoile of the National Ballet of Spain ("A night with Sergio Bernal" - 1 August) the couple Carola Puddu and Francesco Borbonaglia in "Giulietta e Romeo" by the Balletto di Roma (5/8) Everything you still don't know about the descendant of the noble Florentine lineage A tour to discover the 4 beautiful residences of the Medici family Films under the stars are back in some of the city's most beautiful locations: let's find out where exhibitions and must-see events from 26 June to 2 July 2023 From 16 June to 25 June Franciacorta Week returns with aperitifs Here are the flavours you should try at least once in your life in the city Frontman Francesco Bianconi tells us about the band's new projects and the bond with Florence and Tuscany Discover the temples of Tuscan hospitality to book now for unforgettable experiences The “Igor Mitoraj” Museum Foundation is born in Pietrasanta: in fact the foundation charter and bylaws were signed yesterday morning at the Ministry of Culture "The birth of this Foundation reaffirms the Ministry’s interest in enhancing the great protagonists of contemporary art such as Igor Mitoraj who has contributed to enhancing the territory of Pietrasanta where the Polish sculptor had opened a studio since 1983 nurturing the artistic vocation of the area," said Culture Minister Dario Franceschini.The foundation will have the task of cataloging ordering and exhibiting the works of the Mitoraj collection and offering the public the chance to appreciate them from the historical-artistic and cultural point of view and for the role they have played for the territory Pietrasanta Mayor Alberto Stefano Giovannetti and Pietrasanta City Council Culture Director Monica Torti "The Foundation will be one more piece to relaunch the work of an international artist like Igor Mitoraj,“ commented President Giani ”We must say thank you to our artisans whose art made Pietrasanta great and created an environment that welcomed and nurtured an artist like Igor Mitoraj With the Museum dedicated to him and with the birth of the Foundation we tie his name to our city forever," added Mayor Giovannetti Founding partners of the Mitoraj Foundation are the Ministry of Culture the Region of Tuscany and the Municipality of Pietrasanta It will be based in the same museum where the ’Igor Mitoraj’ Collection is kept in the former Pietrasanta Municipal Market on Via Oberdan I sit on a crimson sofa while Sofy is preparing some coffee before we start our interview in art “Sofy” is a sculptor and a painter now living in Pietrasanta and managing a Bed and breakfast activity although she prefers referring to it as a GuestHouse,“Maison d’hôtes” I can see roofs and terraces finely decorated with stuccos and marbles and I feel like I am in Paris…when Sofy starts her story "I sat on a comfy chair sipping a ‘spritz’ and contemplating some terrific art pieces of contemporary artists…the bells of the Duomo toll and the air filled with inebriating scents of time olive trees and freshly cut grass… I found myself in Pietrasanta a small medieval town set on hills of northern Tuscany Riviera of Versilia enjoying the typical Italian relax in piazzetta… After living in Paris and travelling the world I would not expect myself to feel so at ease in such a small place." Sofy Ricard lays the tray on a set of catalogues and art portfolios where I immediately see her name showing up on top of a black cover where a bronze human statue emerges as if out of darkness She is an elegant and fascinating woman with intense look and thoughtful speech "My family nourished quite a number of artists but I had never been thought any technique or felt the need to express myself artistically… till I found myself in Pietrasanta in late 1997 and later on decided to open my studio and settle down here Pietrasanta has a wonderful position at the back of the Apuan Alps that Michelangelo carved during the late Renaissance which in Middle ages granted the small town the passage of many noble men and kings travelling to Lucca and Rome while I almost project her story in my brain as in a movie: "In the Mid nineties Pietrasanta became fashionable to many international art galleries and artists who found here the perfect humus (read land) to exhibit and create their art pieces Not only they could find super skilled masters and craftsmen in marble but they could also profit from the presence of many other international artists That’s what actually happened to me during one of my several trips to Pietrasanta in early 2000 when I met a friend who was executing a Botero’s work enlargement who invited me to join her studio as she remembered about my ability to work with clay… and from one work into another I opened my own workshop." we both stand up and Sofy starts showing me her house and B&B facilities the kitchen is a wonderful example of Hispanic-Tuscan furnishing with a huge kitchenette and colorful tiles "Breakfast are usually served here or in the courtyard preparing some special food or simply enjoying the strictly bio home made bread jams and focaccia that I grab from my trustful local grocery shops." We get the direction to the rooftop through the sturdy limestone stairway still listening to Sofy’s amazing life and experiences working in the 80’s as sociologist in refugees camps at the borders of Cambodia and Laos and working as a fresco painter through Nepal living in Tibetan monasteries… "It was as if art called out for me and urged me to forge into clay those heavy burdens life had laid on my soul Michelangelo said that the artist is simply facilitating the ‘shape’ to get out the rough surface of stone and I believe that art can get yourself free of fear and evil materializing it in a shape which is no more something to be afraid of… but yet a curative process." Pietrasanta has preserved its creative power and skills in time and it is yet a place where artists and people fond of art can feel at ease Pietrasanta holds more than 40 galleries in its small historical center and it is considered a sophisticated place to dine Many art shops are open to visitors and tours may be arranged to assist to bronze casting or visit sculpting ateliers The view from Sofy’s flowered terrace bounces me back again the image of Paris’ rooftops as Sofy points out are grey and not red as in Italy The panoramic view stretches from the Apuan Alps amphitheater a spectacular Longobardic fortress that dominates Pietrasanta and the lower plain to the Museo dei Bozzetti (Maquette’s Museum) whose medieval patios are filled up with statues stuccos and moulds belonging to the most famous artists who lived and worked here from Henry Moore "Pietrasanta is a milestone for many artists from all over the world now as in the past and to me it signs an important period of my life which will hopefully lead to new projects..." in lifestyle and especially in the real essence of Pietrasanta the greatest example of cultural expression and artistic skills unbelievably collected in a small fascinating town in Northern Tuscany.