Italian week celebrates ‘piazza’ theme
Dianna Budd"s artwork "Gelato in the Piazza" was a prize winner at ANU during Italian Week.
Art, architecture and the Italian language were celebrated on campus during the 8th annual Italian Language Week which focused on the theme of Italian and the ‘Piazza’.
ANU hosted an art exhibition, a public lecture and a book launch as part of the event which was supported by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 150 countries between 16-25 October 2008. In Canberra, events are co-ordinated by the Embassy of Italy in partnership with institutions.
On 21 October architect Dr Romaldo Giurgola, winner of the international design competition for the new Parliament House in Canberra in the 1980s, gave a public lecture at ANU on the ‘piazza’ and the Italian landscape.
He was introduced by Italian lecturer Grazia Micciche, who explained that the word piazza has no clear equivalent in English and that historically the Italian piazza is much more complex than any urban space having a similar function in other countries.
Another highlight during the week was the launch on 23 October of Italian Literature and Language: Learning and Teaching by ANU Convenor of Italian Studies Dr Piera Carroli.
The book, which was launched by Dr Roger Hillman of the School of Language Studies and Dr Gerlese Akerlind of the Centre for Educational Development and Academic Methods, has already received positive reviews for its relevance to both teachers and students of languages.
Throughout the week, students from the ANU School of Art displayed their works in the Foyer Gallery, each of which responded to the theme ‘Italian and the Piazza’.
At a ceremony at the close of the week Mr Adriano Tedde of the Embassy of Italy presented Nicola Dickson with the Premio Italia (Art) award for her piece Neptune’s Feet. This prize is funded by the Italian Institute of Culture in Sydney.
Other Premio Italia art awards went to:
2nd Prize, Art: Suzanne Moss, Piazza of Light
3rd Prize, Art: Dianna Budd, Gelato in the Piazza
The literary prizes went to:
1st Prize: Madonna Quixley, poem in Italian comparing the piazza in Italy and Queensland
2nd Prize: Claudia Benham, essay on the political role of the piazza in Italy
3rd Prize: Marissa Rodriguez, the social cultural role of the piazza
| Filed under: | On Campus, News Briefs, ANU College of Arts and Social Sciences, The Arts |
