Description
Fine art photographer Francis Gardino has created three 360 degree views of Italy, They include the ruins of Pompeii and of Sicily, his grandparent’s homeland. The public reception was February 13, 2014. The installation is by Denise and Francis Gardino, Recommended by the Boston Metro HERE>> and Bostoniano.com. Extended through December 23, 2014.
The artist’s statement on the exhibition:
During the month of May 2012, I travelled to Italy for the third time, this time with my wife and daughter and cousin. It was to be a family visit to Sicily, with a side trip to mainland Italy to show my daughter a couple of the “bucket list” places like Naples, Pompeii, the island of Capri and of course Rome, and all it’s splendor.
This was the first time I visited and photographed the homeland of my Sicilian ancestors for the first time. It was a memorable time for me to be there with my wife and daughter and to be able to shoot so many images of the places where all of my grandparents were born and left as children. There was a richness of spirit in those places that cannot be surpassed by any other locations in the world. I still feel the power and beauty of all the ancient history that is part of my families’ legacy. Less than a 2-hour drive from Pietraperzia, my maternal grandparents’ birthplace, stand the Greek ruins of Agrigento and the foreboding Mount Etna volcano. About another 2-hours away is the fishing town of Sciacca, my paternal grandparents’ home.
On my mother’s side is the farming central town of Pietraperzia, which is not really known for much other than their spectacular Easter procession and feast of “Maria Della Cava”, which is also celebrated in Boston’s North End. So I guess you could call me “bi-festal” since we had two Sicilian feasts to go to during our summers in Boston. My mother used to tell us, “It’s Sadie Hawkins Night!” where all the girls chase the boys, so that we would be more inclined to go. Well, no girl ever chased me there, but we had fun anyway. On occasion, Papa would carry the statue of Maria Della Cava in the procession and on another weekend we would marvel at the high-tension cabled angels flying through the air during the Fisherman’s Feast. Little did we know of the hardships that our families overcame to emigrate from Sicily and provide us with middle-class lives.
On my father’s side is Sciacca, a medium-size town on the west coast of Sicily that is known for fishing, sulphur baths and the “Fisherman’s Feast”, which is also celebrated in Boston to this day. I had no idea that Sciacca would have such a beautiful coastline and such a robust people. As a young adult, I spent a lot of time sailing on the Charles River and off the coast of Boston in my 22 foot sailboat. These experiences gave me a strong appreciation and respect for life on the water.