BLENDING Magazine Spring - Summer 2015

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volume Space Shape Sound APICIUS CONFERENCE Teaching Traditions

ROBERTO CAPUCCI Volumes, renewed

PECCIOLI Stories from a Tuscan landfill

YOJIRO KAKE Italian quality, Japanese philosophy

ARCHITECTURE History and modernity in Florentine spaces MUSIC City sounds

A R T S | FA S H I O N & S T Y L E | L I T E R A T U R E | C O M M U N I T Y | E N V I R O N M E N T | F O O D | V O I C E S & P L A C E S | A L U M N I

The key to proving that there’s a black hole is showing that there’s a tremendous amount of mass in a very small volume.

And you can do that with the motions of stars.

ANDREA M. GHEZ When you start with a portrait and search for a pure form, a clear volume, through successive eliminations, you arrive inevitably at the egg.

PABLO PICASSO I can often tell when drawings are done from photographs, because you can tell what they miss out, what the camera misses out: usually weight and volume - there’s a flatness to them.

DAVID HOCKNEY The key to proving that there’s a black hole is showing that there’s a tremendous amount of mass in a very small volume.

And you can do that with the motions of stars.

ANDREA M. GHEZ One good anecdote is worth a volume of biography.

WILLIAM ELLERY CHANNING Volume depends precisely on the writer’s having been able to sit in a room every day, year after year, alone.

SUSAN SONTAG A large volume of adventures may be grasped within this little span of life, by him who interests his heart in everything.

RAY STANNARD BAKER When you’re twenty years old and you’re making points with volume and dynamism, it’s a fantastic thing to do.

ROBERT PLANT

Ph. by NIKKI VISCIGLIA

What is new is the multiplying reach and volume of the Internet, concentrating the toxicity of destructive emotions and circulating them in the political bloodstream with unparalleled velocity.

TINA BROWN There may be something good in silence. It’s a brand new thing.

You can hear the funniest little discussions, if you keep turning the volume down.

WES BORLAND I only come up with things when I am talking to myself, which I do constantly. The sidewalk and the subway are the best places for this.

I speak at full volume and then laugh at myself if I like what I just said.

KATE MCKINNON

Blending Magazine is a semesterly publication produced by the students and faculty members of Florence University of the Arts, the academic member of Palazzi Florence Association for International Education.

Illustratori / Illustrators Christina Marie Garcia, Rinell Ponceleon James

Semestrale / Semesterly Magazine Reg. Trib. di Firenze n° 5844 del 29 luglio 2011 Anno 5 – Numero 2 – Primavera-Estate 2015 Year 5 – Issue 2 – Spring-Summer 2015

Foto retro copertina / Back Cover Photo By Carly Simeone

Caporedattore / Editorial Director Grace Joh Coordinamento editoriale / Managing Editor Federico Cagnucci ++++++++++++ In redazione / Masthead Redazione / Copy Editors Lauren Fromin, Ashlyn Thompson Progetto grafico e impaginazione Graphic design and layout Federico Cagnucci Team di studenti / Student Magazine Teams led by Federico Cagnucci: Natasha Banks, Tameka Darnell, Angelina D’Souza, Kathleen Grey, Margherita Innocenti, Breeauna Moran, Ramzi Malhouf.

Fotografi / Photographers Emma Adams, Julia Arlaza, Ellie Baer, Emily Berger, Aydin Berna, Alessia Bonanno, Federico Cagnucci, Veronica Clark, Christina Marie Garcia, John Grella, Margherita Innocenti, Samantha Kugler, Megan Loiacono, Anna Lynch, Ramzi Maalouf, Drew Mancini, Silvia Mancini, Olga Makarova, Alessia Pesaresi, Emily Purcell, Carly Simeone, Spencer Sisselman, Nikki Visciglia, Michael Walden, Vanessa Weego, David Weiss.

Pubblicità seconda e terza di copertina / Inside Front and Back Cover Advertisement Pages Concept and Design by Paola Carretero Photographs by Thakorn Jantrachot Ringraziamenti / Special Thanks To Nicoletta Salomon, Simone Ballerini, Paride Moretti, Dario Orlandi, Simone Pierotti, Jacopo Santini ++++++++++++ Editore / Publisher Florence Campus per INGORDA Editore Via Alfonso La Marmora, 39 - 50121 Firenze Sede editoriale / Editorial Headquarters Corso Tintori 21 - 50121 Firenze Tel. 055-0332745 Stampa / Printer Grafiche Gelli s.r.l., via G. Leopardi, 11 - Calenzano (FI) Il numero è stato chiuso in redazione nel mese di maggio 2015 This issue was completed in May 2015 Copyright © 2015 by Florence Campus, Firenze All rights reserved.

ISSN 2284-063X

Ph. by VERONICA CLARK

Direttore Responsabile / Editor-in-chief Matteo Brogi

Foto di copertina / Cover Photo By Vanessa Weego

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spring-summer 2015 Letter from the Editor 5

environment

Arts

Trash in Tuscany 50

Statu(e)s Symbol 6 Florentine Spaces 10 Unusual Florentine Architectures 12 Turning Up the Music Volumes 15

food Firenze Is my Gelato 52 Apicius Conference 54

fashion & style

voices&places

Roberto Capucci 16

A Teeming Emptiness 56

Yojiro Kake 20 Volumosophy: Eva di Franco 24 Pump Up the Curves 30

A Tree in the Forest 58 10 Things That Never Get Old 59

#lfw 33

Travelling Gratitude 63

Denim Never Dies 34 Lapo via dei Fossi 36

alumni Renaissance Swag 64

literature Literary Corner 38 Book Bound 42

community Do You Remember Those Days? 43 Volumes of Solidarity 45 Charbel Kamel 46 Soccer Cubed 48

o c f o e l b a t

Sounds of the Square 57

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Ph. by EMMA ADAMS

Letter from the Editor

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here are certain spring seasons that seem to never arrive, mired in the boggy grasp of a wintery Hades. Some springs take place quietly, in an unassuming manner, others are simply late bloomers as in the

case of this year. However, at the FUA main campus, no matter with what pomp and circumstance (or lack of) springtime arrives, there is always a precise moment of fully realizing the season’s presence in Florence.

Gasps, double-takes, pointed fingers, and elated smiles always accompany this moment. Exclamations of FUA staff members dot the air, i glicini sono fioriti! Smart phones snap away and transport color and perfume via email, texts, or social media from Florence to faraway corners of the world. Yes, we are talking about the Tintori campus’ climbing wisteria whose delicate lavender color spills onto the garden each year without fail and seemingly overnight. The plant’s presence is multifold – temporal, sensorial, spatial. Its beauty speaks volumes, it turns the pages of our calendar year to warmer chapters, and its physical volume simultaneously fills and expands the space and air around us. Volume as space, shape, and sound. And not only. The 2015 Spring/Summer issue of Blending Magazine takes its cue from the many meanings of volume, literal and non, applied to fashion, visual arts, society, community, literature, and lifestyle. We examined the textile volumes of diverse designers such as the iconic Roberto Capucci and a contemporary emerging designer from Japan. We spoke to a young Lebanese director about volume as the quantity of noise and reactions generated by his culturally provocative work.

FUA students reproduced architectural volumes found throughout the city. As a special collaboration with UNIFI, the graduate students of the local Italian university explored the idea of curves in beauty by interviewing a current model and a former Miss World, inspected the volume-shakers and history-makers of Florentine history, and presented a case study on the volume of waste at a Tuscan landfill. As springtime expands into summer, we hope that the seeds planted by this issue’s contributions take root in the inspirations of our readers and bloom into fertile ideas.

GRACE JOH & FEDERICO CAGNUCCI

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SELENE CECCHI MJRIAM MOSCATO LINDA ROVELLI ROSELI DE FREITAS

STATU(E)S SYMBOL Volume is to art as art is to history: grand statues that have become symbols of grand cities, from the David in Florence to Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro and the Statue of Liberty in NYC.

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ach city bears its own symbol, for some it can be quite grandiose and particularly for the symbols considered in this article, it is their sheer volume that has made history: Florence, Rio de Janeiro, and New York...

The word volume can be associated with art in various ways.

In Florence, the image of the David is omnipresent in every bar, restaurant, and store. Thus in the same way Christ the Redeemer of Rio and the Statue of Liberty were erected to symbolize a religion and the idea of liberty, the David has been a symbol of the city of Florence since its inauguration in 1504; today it has been chosen as the icon of the 2015 Milan EXPO for the Italian pavilion. What was happening at the time these works were created marked history, whether it was Florence with the David in honor of supporters of the Republic, or Brazil with Christ to affirm the creed of the country.

In each case, the choice has been to represent the thoughts of the people, not with small works of art, but rather with works of great volume.

The David, 5.17 meters in height with his 4.1 tons in weight is considered one of Michelangelo Buonarroti’s masterpieces, the perfect prototype of absolute beauty. Only he was able to sculpt “the giant,” a white block of marble that had been delivered to him from Carrara. The sculpted body seems as though it is about to move. The young pastor’s tension is represented by an intense expression in his eyes, muscles that appear to be contracting, and prominently

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the choice has been to represent the thoughts of the people, not with small works of art, but rather with works of great volume.

Ph. by CHANGYU HU (stocksnap.io)

visible veins. The artist captured the biblical hero in the moments before facing Goliath.

In spite of his perfection, a few parts of his body seem disproportionate, for example his hands, his head, and his “attributes.”

Scholars affirm that Michelangelo’s intention had been to see the David placed in an elevated location, drawing attention to the moment of action and to his state of mental and physical concentration. The only real defect of the statue is its lack of one muscle on the right posterior side, between the spine and the shoulder blade. Michelangelo was unable to reproduce it on account of an anomaly in the block of marble. Replicas are found everywhere in Italy and abroad because the ideal of perfect beauty is diffused among the cultures of all populations. One of the many replicas is in the gardens of Ricardo Brennand cultural institute in Recife, Brazil.

In Rio de Janeiro, on the hill of Corcovado in all his grandeur, the enormous statue of Christ the Redeemer embraces the city below him. 38 meters tall and weighing approximately 1000 tons, this statue was named one of the seven wonders of the world in 2007. The entire country recognized the importance of this work and contributed to its creation by organizing a nation-wide collection of funds. A competition took place for the construction, which was won by Brazilian engineer Heitor Silva Costa, while the production itself was carried out by artists Carlos Osvald e Heitor Levy, head engineer of the project. The statue was inaugurated on October 12th, 1931. Costa understood the importance of his work and said, “How is it possible... to arrive at the port of New York without seeing the Statue of Liberty? Soon it will not be possible to speak of Rio de Janeiro without mentioning the name of Christ the Redeemer.”

New York is another city with a surprisingly voluminous community and where the colossal “lady liberty” was constructed, after much economic sacrifice by the French and Americans. The Statue of Liberty is a superb female figure wearing a long toga and holding a book in her left hand dated July

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Did you know that...

STATUE OF LIBERTY To reach the crown it takes 354 steps plus an additional 192 to arrive at the top of the flame, which measures 3.5 meters.

The flame was replaced in 1984 with a new, 24k gold finish. The original is preserved in the statue’s museum.

The full name of the statue is “Liberty Enlightening the World.” The seven points of the crown represents the seven seas and continents as a symbol of the universal concept of Liberty.

Whether Bartholdi’s mother or second wife was the inspiration for the statue’s face is open to debate. In 1982 it was revealed that the statue’s head was mounted 60.96cm off-center. The statue’s shoe size is 879!

CHRIST THE REDEEMER For maintenance, statue workers move like acrobats amongst scaffolding mounted at an altitude of over 700m. In the original plans, Christ was holding a globe in his right hand.

Lee Thompson, founder of a British adventure travel company, managed to obtain permission from the Brazilian travel tourist board during the 2014 World Cup season to climb up the statue from the inner scaffolding and take one of the world’s most amazing selfies to date.

For Women’s Day 2015, Christ was illuminated by multiple rose-tinted lights in honor of women’s rights.

A plaque at the statue’s feet was donated by the Italian community in 1974 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Guglielmo Marconi’s birth.

Marconi pioneered the remote lighting via radio of the statue’s original lighting.

4th, 1776 inscribed in Roman numerals to declare liberty, while in her right hand she holds a torch to symbolize the eternal fire of liberty. The idea for the statue was conceived

by Edouard René de Laboulaye and later produced by Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi with engineering assistance by Gustave Eiffel. It was inaugurated in 1886. Her “skin” is an armor of 125 tons of steel covered by 31 tons of copper, and measures 93 meters in total height. Her waist measures 10.6 meters, her nose measures 1.4 meters and her index finger is 2.44 meters long. The statue is visible from a distance of 40km and for this reason it holds a symbolic importance for the immigrants who came to her with so many hopes and dreams during the 19th century.

Florence is said to hold the source of inspiration for Bartholdi. In the church of Santa Croce stands the Liberty of Poetry (Libertà della Poesia, 1870-1883), a splendid marble sculpture by Pio Fedi as part of the funeral monument dedicated to the poet Giovanni Battista Niccolini. The resemblance is such that the artist may have taken note from Fedi’s own sketches, as they had both fre-

quented the same places of the masonry.

The inauguration, only three years before the American one, would have been further proof of that inspiration.

The visual impact resulting from the volume of these works is ingrained in everyone’s mind. This has been revealed by a questionnaire conducted in a famous Florentine restaurant, visited by many international clients who were asked which was the most representative work of Florence: Michelangelo’s David, Brunelleschi’s Dome, or the Ponte Vecchio. Upon showing them photos, 63% of them selected the David! Lesser results were present for the Dome, 16%, and Ponte Vecchio with 11%. Only a small portion of those questioned, 10%, preferred alternative responses, such as Florentine Steak (bistecca alla fiorentina), or literary figures such as Dante Alighieri. Judging from the results of the survey, we can deduce that the David is not only a symbol, but in fact THE most representative symbol of Florence. Fortunately, souvenirs, photos, and other gadgets allow us to always carry a piece of these giants with us.

DAVID The great historian Giorgio Vasari extolled the statue’s unrivaled beauty, specifically referencing its beautiful legs, divine hips, and unparalleled grace. However, according to researchers of the Università degli Studi di Firenze, a muscle is missing from the right side of David’s back, between the spine and scapula.

Modern-day reproductions tend to exploit David’s harmonious physical attributes. Michelangelo was said to have studied the pre-battle physical tension of the Biblical David prior to battling Goliath.

David, along with Florence’s other great monuments, is often cited as a trigger of the Stendhal syndrome, a psychosomatic disorder caused by overexposure to immense beauty.

HOW TO VISIT THE DAVID IN FLORENCE AT THE GALLERIA DELL’ACCADEMIA www.polomuseale.firenze.it/musei Tuesday to Sunday 8:15am-6:50pm Closed: Every Monday, New Year’s Day, May 1st, Christmas Day Regular Ticket: e 8.00 Reduced Ticket: e 4.00 Ticket office closes at 6:20pm Museum closing procedures begin at 6:40pm Visit the site to purchase tickets online.

Reservations Firenze Musei, Tel. 055 294883 Reservation fee: e 4.00

Ph. by KALAMU YA SALAAM

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florentine spaces

SANTA MARIA NOVELLA RAILWAY STATION Every day, thousands of people are pushed through the Santa Maria Novella train station, whether to leave Florence for another destination or arrive, wide-eyed, for the first time. There is a certain wonder to the modern building* amidst a Renaissance city layout. For those who walk through the doors of the station every day, on their way to work perhaps, it is just another building in their world, nothing special. But for the people arriving for the first time, the station is their gateway to a new, exceptional world. Its modern style is a portal to another time. Most don’t notice its importance or how much it stands out because they are looking at the rest of the historic architecture. It’s only when we are returning to the station, ready to leave the city behind, that we truly see the station. *The train station was designed in the 1930s by the Gruppo Toscano architectural team led by Giovanni Michelucci.

Sarah Kauzmann

SAN MINIATO AL MONTE CEMETERY The San Miniato al Monte church has sits upon a hill overlooking the city of Florence. With a design similar to that of the Basilica of Santa Maria Novella, it stands tall with the sunlight reflecting off of it.

San Miniato al Monte, however, has a secret detail. Blocked from the public eye by a wall of ashes, sits a cemetery unlike any other. There are stones laid on the ground like tile, statues reaching towards the heavens, busts of the dead, weathered headstones, and crosses all marking the ashes of people long gone. Each one is different and unique, and carved angels look down at the buried, stained streaks running down stone faces, or upwards to the sky, as if with a flap of their elegant wings they could disappear at any moment.

Sarah Kauzmann

A FAMILIAR SIGHT I created this painting from a photo I shot of a Lutheran church on the Oltrarno side of Florence. I pass by this structure every day on my way to class, and even amongst the hustle of everyday life in Florence, one quick glance at the beautiful rose window reminds me of the true beauty of the church. Superficially, it looks worn and run-down, but keep looking and you’ll see the beauty underneath the vines. In these familiar sights, home is found.

Logan Scandling

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FUA VISUAL ART AND DIGITAL STUDENTS

Volume is a single word that holds multiple meanings. It can describe a level of noise, a collection of books, or a quantity. Through my photos, I have explored the latter definition – the volume of spaces in Firenze. These images reflect the volume of the city in the spaces I have found, large and small, through compositional elements such as form, color, and light. The shapes throughout the photos are geometrical, and in some cases abstract the photo from its location, creating a graphic portrait of Firenze’s diverse structures.

Anna Lynch

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A TRIBUTE TO THE LESS CONVENTIONAL ARCHITECTURAL WONDERS OF FLORENCE

The built environment of Florence consists of many different volumes, which are intentionally molded by the structural shells and architectural features of a building or a space.

By stepping out of the typical tourist path, the adventurer discovers many architectural masterpieces. The following buildings evoke wonder and awe, and are prime examples of the architectural innovations that have manifested throughout Florence’s past and present, and will be inspiration for the future. Wondering where? Take a journey here...

Palazzo Pitti Palazzo Pitti was originally built in 1459, although it did not obtain iconic significance until the mid-1500s. The walls and ceilings are covered by frescoed paintings which manipulate the viewer’s perception of the surrounding shapes and volumes.

Ph. by MEGAN LOIACONO

Ph. by FEDERICO CAGNUCCI

Castle Sammemezano Sammezzano, Leccio (FI) Castle Sammezzano, located near the town of Reggello, is an Italian interpretation of Moorish architecture. The seemingly infinite repetition of multicoloured shapes, patterns, and designs are a feast for the senses. The optical illusion creates form and volume that merge together.

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Ph. by DAVID WEISS

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ALLISON SCHULTZ BONNIE SWARTZ

Unusual Florentine Architectures SPRING-SUMMER 2015

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Casa-Galleria Vichi Casa-Galleria Vichi is a Libertystyle apartment building located near the Arno River.

This is a rare example of Art Nouveau architecture in the city center. The smooth curves and shapes create an illusion of spherical volume inside the residence.

Ph. by DAVID WEISS

Photos by CHRISTINA MARIE GARCIA

Palazzo Di Giustizia Palazzo Di Giustizia is an example of Italian post-modern architecture.

The utilization of geometric masses parallels the linear structure of the recently built Teatro dell’Opera.

Teatro dell’Opera Teatro Dell’Opera was designed by Studio ABDR from Rome and was built in 2013 as the new home of Florence’s Opera House. It is a futuristically styled complex, consisting of shifting “boxes” of varying volumes stacked on top of each other.

The lack of spacial dividers provides the visitor with a heightened perception of the overall volume represented by the complex.

Ph. by DAVID WEISS

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MARISSA SMITH

turning up the music volume: florentine venues

Photographs by CHRISTINA MARIE GARCIA (except for first row right image by EMILY BERGER)

The volume of music in Florence when I first arrived was very quiet. I came with my guitar, thinking I would see people sitting by the river strumming their own, or hundreds of clubs with live music, but I didn’t notice any at first. It definitely required some research to fully understand a few weeks later that the Florence music scene volume can get pretty loud. Music of all genres can be heard at a multitude of venues, as well as just by walking the streets. Walking from the Pitti Palace, over the Ponte Vecchio, turning right to the Uffizi Museum, I could hear 3 different street performers playing violin, guitar, and accordion in the length of a ten-minute walk. There are often musicians playing near Santa Maria Novella as people go to and from the train station. However, if you’re looking for where to go to listen to some real live sounds, here is a short guide to where to hear the best music in Florence: VOLUME Piazza Santo Spirito, 5/r

NOF CLUB Borgo San Frediano, 17

Volume, located in Piazza Santo Spirito, is a bar, book shop, museum, live music venue, and very trendy place to hang out. The music typically includes live jazz, funk, acoustic, or even DJs with electronic/dance mash-ups.

If you’re looking for rock n’ roll, funk, and blues, NOF is the place to go. Wednesdays-Sundays are the best nights. If you play music, sometimes thy have blues jam sessions!

JAZZ CLUB FIRENZE Via Nuova De Caccini, 3 Jazz, Jazz, and more Jazz. Jazz Club Firenze requires a membership inChristina order toMarie attend, which is a one-time, very small fee. This club is Photos by Garcia open every day at 10:30 PM, except Mondays.

COMBO SOCIAL CLUB Via Mannelli, 2 Very large venue with a wide variety of music. You won’t find many foreigners here, as it is a little further out from the city center. However, you will hear various types of music from abroad. Some nights feature a 60s rock cover band. A must see.

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1956 | Nove Gonne (Nine Skirts) First presented at Palazzo Pitti in the Sala Bianca (Florence).

Dress-sculpture, red silk taffeta with nine elements superimposed on the skirt.

Archivio Fondazione Roberto Capucci

1980 | Ventagli First presented at Palazzo Barberini (Rome) Dress-sculpture, red taffeta with fan elements inserted in the skirt hips that unexpectedly open and close.

Archivio Fondazione Roberto Capucci

Roberto Capucci checks the measurements of the Nine Skirts dress in red taffeta worn by the American actress Esther Williams.

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“I don’t consider myself a tailor or a designer but an artisan looking for ways of creating, looking for ways to express a fabric to use it as a sculptor uses clay.” *

Roberto Capucci DEBORAH GALASSO CHANDLER VIOX

Photos courtesy of FONDAZIONE ROBERTO CAPUCCI

Inspired by the boxy structure and style of ancient Japanese samurai armor and the colorful, swirling movements rooted from the Baroque Era of the 16th century, Roberto Capucci was able to combine two distinctly different styles and create art in the form of gorgeous gowns and clothing. Each of his collections embrace the ideas of nature, movement and changing volume, focusing specifically on form, color, and material. When visiting the Capucci Museum in Florence, these inspirations were clearly spotted in each dress, from the samurai inspired sleeves to the geometric skirts. Throughout each decade, Capucci reshaped the idea of volume.

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apucci began his fashion career in 1950 when he opened his first couture house in Italy at the age of 20. In 1951, he presented his collection at the second Italian fashion show in Florence. His unique pieces were immediately noticed and adored, and he became known as “boy wonder.” Roberto Capucci’s first collections in the 1950s led to both national and international recognition. One of his first successful and well-known pieces from this decade was his Nove Gonne (Nine Skirts) dress. The bright red dress was inspired by the ripples created when pebbles were dropped into water; this pattern is evident in the nine-layered skirt cut high in the front and draped to the floor in the back. In 1958, Capucci created the revolutionary Box Line Collection, which focused on enclosing the female figure in geometric volumes. The Box Line collection features square and rectangular pieces, which did not focus

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FA S H I O N & S T Y L E

1956 | Bocciolo First presented at Palazzo Pitti in the Sala Bianca (Florence).

Dress-sculpture, red-coral embossed taffeta.

Archivio Fondazione Roberto Capucci

1998 | Oceano First presented at the Lisbon World Exposition.

Dress-sculpture, taffeta plissé in 37 shades of blue.

Archivio Fondazione Roberto Capucci

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on enhancing or taking away from the human silhouette but on the artistic aesthetics of the actual clothing. Capucci’s Box Line collection was so unique and influential that he received an Oscar for Fashion in the United States that same year.

Capucci revolutionized his style and dresses throughout the 1960s and 70s. During the 60s, Capucci continued to focus on volume and combined soft colors with black and white patterns. He opened his second couture house in Paris in 1962 and was inspired to incorporate unique materials such as plastic, metal, and plexiglas into his pieces. Capucci’s Optical dress from 1965 was drastically different from his original works but still embraced his love of volume and form. Though the dress is more form fitting than his previous pieces, the silhouette is still volumized by the use of feathers around the cuffs and hood and the use of knife pleats along with fabric that imitates an optical illusion. The youth and feminist movements of the 1970s-inspired Capucci to incorporate brightly colored fabrics with natural materials such as flowers and plants, stones, bamboo and straw. He focused on smooth lines and pleats while emphasizing the waist in his silhouettes. The dresses are not as sculpted and structured as some of Capucci’s previous collections, but his idea of volume stems from his incorporation of natural materials.

In 1980, Capucci shocked the world by resigning from the Italian couture system to work on his collections at his own pace. He did not see eye to eye with the fashion world’s lack of artistic passion and obsession with commercialism. Capucci freed himself from these constraints and stayed true with his original visions, letting his creativity fully flow once again into his work. This is the point in time when Capucci became a true sculptor of clothing and not just a designer.

His dresses became even more eccentric, fearlessly mixing dozens of colors with large 3-dimensional silhouettes. Capucci’s Ventagli dress from 1980 encompasses the extravagant volume and form he was aiming for. Ventagli means “fan,” the dress was inspired by the personal folding hand fans used in Japan since the seventh century.

FA S H I O N & S T Y L E

It has been a decade since Roberto Capucci has graced the runway with his eccentric collections but for Fall Winter 2015, the House of Capucci will be releasing a ready-to-wear collection with the help of designer Cinzia Minghetti. Minghetti will lead a group of young designers who will interpret Capucci’s previous Haute Couture collections and design the ready to wear collection based off of Capucci’s most famous lines. The new collection is led by art collector Paola Santerelli, Andrea Cernigliaro, and Roberto Capucci and his family.

The new collection will be inspired by the volume and lively silhouettes from his 1950s Box Line Collection and his Little Black Dresses from 1961. These inspirations are evident in the layered box shapes, geometric designs and black bows on the back of the dresses. The new collection is classic Capucci; mixing colorful bonded silk fabrics and furs while also having more muted ensembles in all black or monotone color schemes. The collection includes trousers, cocktail dresses, trapeze coats, jackets, skirts with matching tops, and oversized cardigans. The ready-to-wear collection is fit for any fashion lover who appreciates Capucci’s individual take on the beauty of women.

NEW COLLECTION FW 2015 Little black dress.

Pencil skirt and mink-lined jacquard blouson jacket with square patchwork, high-collared cashmere sweater.

Navy bordeaux double box skirt, navy bordeaux box top, dark navy fur collar.

[Ph. Mote Sinabel Aoki]

Roberto Capucci’s extensive line of work continues to be exhibited in some of the most famous museums around the world. One of the latest Capucci exhibits includes “Bellissima: Italy and High Fashion 1945-1968” at the Maxxi Museum in Rome, Italy. The exhibition covered 20 years of fashion and the “Made in Italy” label recognizable and appreciated on a global scale. Another Capucci exhibition at the Portland Art Museum in Portland, Oregon, United States. The exhibition, “Italian Style: Fashion since 1945” covered the growth of Italian fashion since the end of World War II and the establishment of high quality and style associated with Italian fashion. This exhibit ran until May 7th, 2015. The Roberto Capucci Museum at Villa Bardini in Florence is open and displays many dresses from Capucci’s previous collections. The dresses shown in the museum are changed frequently to display the different styles designed by Capucci over the years. There are also occasionally intensive fashion courses available. The museum is open Sunday through Friday, 10am to 4pm and closed the first and last Monday of the month.

*G. Bianchino, A.C. Quintavalle, Moda: dalla fiaba al design - Italia 1951-1989, De Agostini, Novara 1989, p.111.

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FA S H I O N & S T Y L E

yojiro Kake NATASHA BANKS, TAMEKA DARNELL, ANGELINA D’SOUZA, KATHLEEN GREY, MARGHERITA INNOCENTI, LINDSAY KEATON, BREEAUNA MORAN, RAMZI MALHOUF, CHANDLER VIOX

Ph. by RAM ZI MAA LOU F

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Yojiro Kake is a designer that was born in Hyogo Japan and studied fashion for three years after graduating high school. While living in Japan and working as a pattern maker and designer for a company, he soon realized that he wanted to design on his own and needed to learn more about the fashion industry.

He then moved to Florence to continue his fashion studies, and relocating has helped him broaden his view on fashion - he now designs women’s couture pieces with passion and meaning behind each design. Yojiro’s collection was presented at the Spring 2015 fashion event at FLY, the retail store for emerging designers, vintage, and consignment at FUA’s fashion campus.

When and how did you discover your interest in fashion? Was it a spontaneous decision or have you always known it was your calling?

I did not know about fashion at all until I was around 17 years old. My friends were always talking about fashion and brands that I had no idea about, it sounded like a world so different from my ordinary life. Eventually I decided that I wanted to try to throw myself into the world of fashion that seemed so mysterious and different to me.

Your 2015 Spring/Summer line is inspired by Moirai, the Greek Goddess. Where did you get that idea and how did it help shape your collection?

2015 S/S Couture capsule is a collaboration with Class Hair Salon from Prato, Italy, a project performed at the Alternative Hair Show 2014 in London. The concept is originally from Equilibrium, to balance one’s life, which is influenced by the control of Moirai (the three Goddess of Lives), then struggling like YingYang. An individual can eventually find his or her own path by balancing destiny and conflict. For the design, I chose the shades and images of climbing plants like vines to create the structure, mixing with rigid, extra-large shirts - like overgrown leaves.

What are your main sources of inspiration today? Did they change through your transition from Japan to Florence?

I am usually inspired by things in my everyday life such as emotional people, food, art, music, news, and everything that I see around me. These forms of inspiration do not change wherever I am around the world. In Florence I have been inspired by the different sculptures because one could easily associate my process of designing with the way sculptures are designed to look.

What are you most proud of about your latest collection?

The design of less volume. Compared to previous collections, 2015 S/S RTW items are less voluminous and decorated. I needed more courage to challenge the style of less. We are all proud of this outcome, it is more practical plus there are more and more people who would love to buy and wear the garments.

How would you describe your first time being featured in a fashion show? What do you think about fashion shows in general and in connection to your profession?

I have always seen fashion in pictures, or videos of fashion shows, so fashion has always been a big deal for me. There are many different approaches, ideas, stories, and passion poured into fashion shows and it is my dream for my brand to have a Haute Couture show in the near future with a lot of emotion and mystery incorporated into it.

This is not about money or business, it’s about the dream.

Ph. by CH RIS TIN A MA RIE GA RCI A

What was one of the most challenging techniques used to construct one of your garments? Do you use different approaches or techniques? What marketing/PR strategies have you used for multiple target audiences?

As a designer, my aesthetic involves using voluminous shapes and intricate detailing to portray a story. The techniques associated with this type of look involves using lots of pleats and finding unique ways to create distinct shapes out of my garments. Currently, I have not defined a particular target audience. I prefer to learn by viewing consumer’s

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Photos by SILVIA MANCINI

On April 14th, 2015, Yojiro Kake presented an exclusive capsule collection runway show at FUA’s fashion campus.

Photos by OLGA MAKAROVA

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reactions to my products. But I am sure that within a few years I will have developed a steady marketing strategy.

Do you have a personal favorite look of your own work?

My favorite look for now is a strong piece created from many handkerchiefs. The reason why I like it is because I can still feel my hope and my voice from this look, even though it’s not a highly technical, quality item. I really like this energy that comes from within.

What has been one of the biggest struggles as a young designer and how have you overcome that challenge?

One of the biggest struggles for me has mainly been lack of finances. I used to just design clothes for myself but with my own brand I now design many more pieces for business. It was very difficult for me at the beginning because I did not have the money that I needed to create new collections but I have been able to move forward with my brand due to the support and help of the people around me.

As a designer, my aesthetic involves using voluminous shapes and intricate detailing to portray a story.

Where do you see your brand in five years?

I have always desired to share my vision with the world through an extremely emotional fashion show that involves all five senses. So my hope is to have a haute couture show within the next five years. I can also see myself expanding into the menswear arena.

Do you have any suggestions for aspiring designers?

It has been two years since my brand launched and it has been a slow process. We have been improving and learning from every opportunity and problem placed in front of us.

Everything has been a huge challenge for us but now we enjoy these challenges because they help improve the brand.

Seeing as how I am still a designer facing many challenges, I do not know what advice I can give to new young designers other than nothing is impossible if it is your dream.

If you could give aspiring fashion students one piece of advice, what would it be?

This thought keeps me and my partners motivated to continue and overcome struggles. To show your real creativity, an adventure leading to failure or problems is always awaiting. But the courage to challenge yourself is already more creative than the result.

Photos by Christina Marie Garcia

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THE

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NCO A R F I AD V E : E LUM O V R O HF C R A E S

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Puzzle sweathshirt

by Eva di Franco

Photographer: SPENCER SISSELMAN led by Fashion Photography instructor SIMONE BALLERINI Model: Elisa Cerbai Hair stylist & makeup: CONSUELO CARDELLA Stylists: OLIVIA HINRICHS & JORDYN BERK

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Hand-dyed cotton and silk jacket by Eva di Franco “Few days in Salerno” Capsule Collection

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Kaftan in degradé boiled wool by Eva di Franco

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EVA DI FRANCO

KATHLEEN GREY Photo portrait by FRANCESCA NICOLOSI

"I am curious, abstract, and balanced,” Eva di Franco says in self-reflection.

To examine the inner workings of a designer’s mind and on a more deeper level, a designer’s heart, is an opportunity in itself. To be able to try on the products of these inner workings is every fashion addict’s dream. I walked into Eva’s studio one Monday afternoon, ready to embrace the experience of a dream turned into reality. “I think these adjectives partially match my style,” Eva continues. Here, she reveals just how her career transitioned into what it is today.

E

verything started in London three years ago, with the support of my best friend. We started meeting up once a week in cafes, during our spare time. Day by day, new tasks and ideas were coming up. 2enty26 was then finally born.

The first season-less capsule came out in April 2013 as ISSUE#0000: essentially black and white convertible pieces.

The buyer of a shop in Shoreditch, London loved the collection. My designs were finally out there. In 2014, I decided to come back to Italy and set up my own label E V A D I F R A N C O. The first collection “Whites” came out in May 2014, and then “Few Days In Salerno” which are one off pieces. They have been sold both in London and Florence. I realize now that I need to build a network of stockists, so I have been considering the option of taking part in a fashion trade show for SS16. Things are getting serious! I am curious, abstract, and balanced. I think these adjectives partially match my style.

During the design process I deal with ideas and concepts, but I force myself to be more concrete when it comes to marketing. Wabi-sabi philosophy, color, and folklore inspire me in my life. My favorite designers are the pioneers of the Japanese fashion avant-garde -

Issey Miyake, Yohji Yamamoto, and Rei Kawakubo. The way they questioned the tailoring process in the 80s was so revolutionary.

My style icon? Tilda Swinton - essential, sleek, and elegant.

When I design I think about someone who is looking for the essence of a garment, someone creative and confident. A person who doesn’t like obvious clothing.

For this upcoming spring season, I am really loving the color tangerine.

I was surprised that designing is such a small part of the game, especially when you are an independent designer. I like traveling to London quite often; I lived there for four years and it always feels like home. While I’m there I follow my B&B diet - brownies and bagels. Healthy isn’t it?! Five years from now is enough time to develop a few of my projects.

One is making one-off pieces, entirely designed, crafted and sold in my studio-atelier.

Another thing I have in my mind is a Unisex line. Then I would love to design a permanent and season-less wardrobe of basic garments that represent the essence of the brand.

I think the only way to achieve goals is to be passionate, work hard, but keep it humorous at the same time. www.evadifranco.com

VOLUMES FOR EASY DRESSING FUA student Kathleen Grey is shown here styled in easy-to-wear and unique pieces by Eva Di Franco.

The best looks are voluminous and allow wearers to style items such as the ones shown here.

Left: Yin Yang top by Eva di Franco, “twentytwentysix” Capsule Collection Tabi pants by EVA di Franco, “twentytwentysix” Capsule Collection Right: Kaftan in degrade' boiled wool by Eva di Franco Boots by Gianna Meliani

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pump up the curves!

WOMEN’S BODIES SPEAK OUT Today we are witnessing an increase in signs pointing towards a change in fashion trends: More and more clothing designs are compatible with busty shapes.

The unexpected protagonist of this countertrend is the so-called “curvy woman.” This exclusive interview features Sardinian model Mariagrazia Loddo and former 1955 Miss World Susana Duijm from Venezuela.

INDIRA RODRIGUEZ, LISA MOROTTI VALERIA PIRAS, ALICE DAINESE Illustration by RINELL PONCELEON JAMES

Ph. by FEDERICA CARRAI

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Curvy

These are the new models in the spotlight; girls with plunging necklines, large hips, ship-shape legs and beautiful faces: beauty becomes “volume” and gains new shapes and sizes. One of the most recent conquests of this “curvy revolution” has been the choice to insert in the Pirelli calendar the plus-size model Candice Huffine.

This publication is well-known as the main representative symbol of female beauty. To introduce a curvy woman in this glossy context, a calendar that has always identified the most beautiful women of the world, is considered a real innovation and a break of frame in the fashion and photography industries.

In the Italian panorama one of the most important spokespersons of this trend is Mariagrazia Loddo, a curvy Sardinian model who has had to struggle with the rigid standards of the fashion world since the beginning of her career. She speaks about her typically Mediterranean sizes and explains, “The term curvy indicates a thin model, with a regular size, a shapely body with noticeable breasts and pronounced hips, in essence a buxom model with a harmonious body full of curves!” Mariagrazia has chosen to constantly persevere in helping girls who have difficulty accepting their own bodies: “I have been a model for many years and a victim of discrimination by agencies and photographers; even though I was 20 years old and weighed less than 50 kg, they convinced me I was too overweight to be suitable for this profession."

The standards of beauty recommended by the fashion industry in these last years have in fact always exalted an “ideal” type of woman rather than a “real” one; the stylists, the pattern makers, the fashion show organizers, and anyone who coordinates beauty contests have a particular type of woman in mind, one who has to be “perfect” according to their working needs. After many years of hegemony of the so-called “size-zero models” both on the runway and in magazines in every part of the world, an increasing number of fashion houses have finally started to considered more sinuous figures and more comfy styles.

Israel has been one of the first countries to go a decisive step further in acceptance of a new model of the female body. On January 1st, 2013, the country passed the first law in the world forbidding the employment of models with a BMI (body mass index) under 18.5, the limit established by the World Health Organization as an indicator of malnutrition.

All efforts to create a regulatory instrument have been unsuccessful in Italy. At present there is a self-regulation code, signed in 2007 by the Government and the National Fashion Chamber, which requires all stylists to not employ women with evident symptoms of an eating disorder; Mariagrazia confirms: “Times change and even the most conservative fashion designers are becoming convinced; I do believe that beauty doesn’t depend on weight […] For so many years we have been passive witnesses of absolutely illogical standards of beauty. Many girls were forced into emaciating diets that so often led to eating disorders or were sometimes the cause of severe diseases.” For these reasons the Sardinian model, actively involved in the battle against anorexia, reminds all women that “First of all it is important to have a clear awareness of our own physical appearance and how it is perceived in the eyes of others, it is only then that we can come to terms with our body and start appreciating ourselves!"

Model Mariagrazia Loddo Ph. by FEDERICA CARRAI

Miss World 1955 Susana Duijam Photos courtesy of Susana Duijm

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Photos courtesy of Susana Duijm

Ph. by FIDEL RODRIGUEZ ROSAS.

women will be able to dictate the standards of their own beauty.

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he fashion world has undergone many transformations until today and Susana Duijm has certainly contributed to its constant evolution: She was Miss World 1955 and is also a famous Venezuelan model and actress. After taking off her modeling shoes she has kept working in the field as a presenter in many beauty pageants: “In my life I have had the opportunity to model for many different stylists and I have seen many thin models that could maintain the curves in their figure. But I have also seen many other types of models who were really, really too thin and I could never agree with this trend".

Today she is 78 years old and, she says, nostalgic about the past, “In the good old days the women were well formed, beautiful and sinuous, with large hips, big breasts and small waist. Despite that, when I worked, it often happened that many people accused me of having too thin legs and this made me feel inadequate.” This makes us think about how, regardless of time and trends, the female body has always been an object of prejudices and stereotypes, forcing women to adjust to a pre-determined ideal of beauty in order to feel accepted and beautiful.

Susana also knows about the new “curvy phenomenon” and comments, “I think it is fantastic as not all the women can be tall and thin: there must be something for all tastes! Short, tall, thin, voluptuous: variety is perfect! I have had the opportunity to know women with full and curvy shapes which are wonderful and in addition they have an innate sensuality and elegance."

Now the question remains: will this phenomenon stabilize a real change or will it just be a temporary trend? Susanna expresses her doubts, “Times always change but despite that I don’t think we can ever go back to the beauty standards of my days, even if at heart I truly hope we will."

Considering the variable nature of fashion, we simply wish that these changes haven’t temporarily touched the runways alone, but that they will become integrated and shared by all women so that there won’t be any need to adjust to fashion trends, but instead women will be able to dictate the standards of their own beauty.

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CHRISTINA MARIE GARCIA

#lfw spring 2015

Photographs by the author

“#LFW” tags across social media had been bombarding internet immediately following the end of New York Fashion Week. This marked the beginning to the flow of famous fashion heads, bloggers, and diehard fashion lovers to hit the street scene for London Fashion Week.

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he city prepared diligently to accommodate the high volume of showcasing designers, fashion-world celebrities, bloggers, and press that are on the edge of their seats ready to report on the latest shows and trends for the new season. With an endless outpouring of inspiration, many flock to known fashion venues to observe and participate in the street fashion scene. To the common passerby, this sea of cameras, iPhones, and bustling, well-dressed people, can be overwhelming, especially with the stunning results of trends and street fashion all appearing on social media, with the popular tag, “#LFW.” London’s street scene has always been one of vibrant and creatively eclectic street fashion. As the city is highly populated and hosts a large quantity of creative people within its domain, to stand out among the rest is absolutely essential. People fill every last bit of space within the Somerset House, an important venue to London’s fashion week that hosts emerging designer showcases, and is well equipped with runway space. Street style amongst the hectic crowds

has eyes moving in all directions as camera’s are seen flashing from corner to corner. As faux fur has been a rising trend over the winter season, there was no mistaking Shrimps, an emerging designer, to take over the street fashion scene. Many “it-girls” were seen and photographed immediately upon sighting the vibrantly colored, tastefully striped, fluffy coats. Many others that were photographed on the street scene sported stand out colors, fabrics, and accessories that showed their creativity and uniqueness.

Racing through the crowded undergrounds and quickly maneuvering through bustling streets, all in order to make appearances and photograph outside of these fashion events, proved to be a must for the street scene of London Fashion Week. The brisk cold air in London couldn’t stop these fashion forward bloggers, students, and anyone who’s anyone from executing great street style. From fluffy faux fur to insanely unimaginable outfits, London definitely has a high volume of creativity and flare when it comes to street style and hosting the much anticipated “LFW.”

As the city is highly populated and hosts a large quantity of creative people within its domain, to stand out among the rest is absolutely essential.

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denim never dies Photographs by the author

MARGHERITA INNOCENTI "Denim never dies!” is the motto of Niccolò Fontana, a young entrepreneur and creator of the Florentine brand Dandy Level. Born between 2013 and 2014, the brand has already achieved a great success and received positive reactions from experts who have appreciated the quality and originality of the clothes presented at the debut collection.

Along with originality and quality, another important element of the Dandy Level world is the craftsmanship, as the production is 100% Italian and more specifically, Florentine.

How was Dandy Level born? What motivated you to create this brand?

It all started as a game. I studied architecture and engineering and have always loved design, so the idea of creating something has always fascinated me. Textiles and special finishes are another passion of mine. When I was in stores, I could never find anything that differed from the usual things you find on the market. I had the idea of making jeans by inserting unique applications in order to offer customers a more particular and customized product.

Why the name Dandy Level? Is there any particular reason?

Historically the figure of the dandy has always stood for its eccentricity, playful personality, and particularity in fashion. Dandy Level offers a customized, elegant style. The jeans are versatile, made in Italy, perfect for any occasion and with any clothing combination.

The Dandy Level products are entirely manufactured in Italy, a bit 'against’ the trend of the period, but certainly a courageous choice. Have you encountered difficulties? What advice would you give someone who wants to entrust their production to Italian companies rather than foreign ones?

Again, it all started as a game. I produced a sample and felt discouraged - I didn’t like it.

Then one night I sat looking on my computer and I found this beautiful family business in Florence that was able to give life to my original idea. I brought the material to a shop and started the first order. The exit price of jeans is a bit high for stores but in return it is a quality product, made with real craftsmanship. The Italian production costs a lot but it’s important, so I think it’s crucial to promote and support it.

So it is worthwhile to buy Dandy Level jeans?

Yes, it’s worth it. It is a refined product, made in Italy, and the price is justified by the traditional product that is not packaged with machines but with the hands and hard work.

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The star of the Dandy Level collection is denim, which over the years has always changed shape and has been renewed. In your opinion what are the reasons that make denim so versatile? What makes it better than other fabrics?

Denim never dies, it is a real workhorse for clothing.

Of course I wanted to differentiate myself from the other brands because otherwise it wouldn’t have made sense. Competition is high, which is why I decided to find those special, extra details to offer to the customers such as interchangeable labels and inserts in the fabric. Denim is always changing, you can make it more special and distinct. Personally, I prefer a more firm cotton like the old Levis 501, although the stretch denim also has its own value especially when it comes to comfort.

In the world of fashion there are many bloggers who over time have reached a degree of influence, sometimes even more than industry insiders. Is the support of the web important in the creation of a start-up?

Bloggers offer excellent visibility to the product, as does the web in general, so I do not see anything wrong in giving some clothes in exchange for visibility. They advertise and at the same time a brand must produce its own targeted strategies, so it seems like a fair exchange.

What are your future plans? Where do you think the brand will be in 5 years?

There are many projects in store, but I first have to gain more visibility. I would like to give some advice to other emerging designers - be very careful and protect yourselves as much as possible from prepayments or other economic factors. If you make big holes in the budget, you could skip entire collections and for start-ups this is very detrimental. I hope to to grow, we are working very hard and putting in our greatest efforts. Prudence, patience, and passion are the most important factors. Then we’ll see what happens next.

Can you describe your brand using the first three adjectives that come to mind?

“Customized, fine, and elegant.” dandylevel.com

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lapo via dei fossi Volume has been an important factor in hairstyling since the beginning of time. Throughout history, hair volume has been considered a symbol of power, social class, and importance. As time progressed, volume took the world to new heights with modern cuts and styles. The media expressed the aesthetic beauty of voluminous hairstyles from 20th century cinema and beyond. Today, the variation of voluminous hair trends is wide and eclectic. There are no more standard trends, and finding your own personal look is encouraged. In order to explore the idea of volume in contemporary Italian hair styling, we interviewed the owner of Lapo Via Dei Fossi, a popular hair salon in Firenze.

it’s all about

BONNIE SWARTZ Photographs by DAVID WEISS

the volume Lapo, tell us about yourself and your background.

About 20 years ago, I quit university to fully dedicate myself to hairstyling out of my love for the field. About six years ago, I opened my own salon in Via Dei Fossi. I operate my business with the support of a young, enthusiastic, and highly qualified staff. Our philosophy is based on hair care and absolute beauty through the use of natural products.

What distinguishes your relationship with regular clients and those who represent the fashion world? How does this difference challenge your day-to-day work?

They are two completely different lines of work. I personally prefer working with regular clients because I am able to gradually establish a relationship of trust. Once I gain their trust, I am able to guide them and offer honest advice. The loyalty we receive from regular clients is a great source of satisfaction. Working in fashion is extremely fascinating and stimulating, especially because we can compare new styles and trends. However, we are often limited to the specific requests and styling needs of the project.

What guides you in the styles that you offer to clients?

How much do media trends (TV, cinema, industry magazines) versus your own creativity count in your work?

I always seek to create very natural styles and to give my clients a look that they can easily manage on their own. The same criteria is valid for hair coloring, which is inspired by the soft and natural highlights that we see in children’s hair on summer days. Trends of the moment should always be taken into consideration and never be snubbed.

However, I prefer to customize a look to avoid the carbon copy effect because that takes away from the creativity of my job.

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Given that hairstylists are guided by various influences, what do you think are the main distinguishing features that influence the Italian scene in an international contest?

Internationally speaking, Italian style is undeniably an important factor. What we do can easily fit in the “Made in Italy” concept that’s exported all over the world. The quality and the preparation of Italian hairstylists are what make us stand out when it comes to the management of volumes and shapes in hairstyles.

Like fashion, your field is constantly affected by vintage style revivals. What is your opinion on the matter?

Our industry is obviously cyclic and goes through various phases just like fashion. A professional should know how to consciously reinterpret revivals of the past and be inspired by them according to the parameters of contemporary trends and to his or her own personal taste.

The theme of the current Blending Magazine is based on volume. How important is this word to hairstyles and how has hair volume changed in your field?

Volume is everything in what we do. The beauty of a hairstyle depends essentially on the perfect cut that maximizes the natural volume of hair. A true professional must know how to work with volume according to the cut and style. Over the years, we’ve seen various styles such as the exaggerated 1960s volumes, the reduced dimension of the 70s, and the frontal volume of the 80s. Ultimate-

ly, we seek to create harmony by modifying hair volume in order to reach a balanced difference between contemporary and dated styles. One of my great passions is for the cinema of the 60s and 70s. I’m mesmorized by the hairstyles worn by the actresses of those times. When you change the volume of a woman’s hair, you are completely changing her entire figure.

Considering the evolution of hairstyles during the Renaissance or the 1800s, what do you think about these historic changes and the impact of women’s emancipation and social equality?

The hairstyles of the past centuries were more strictly related to a person’s social class. During the Renaissance, hair that was done up in elaborate fashions was an indicator of the noble class. The more elaborate the style, the higher the class. This distinction was gradually lost over the years, which has allowed women to express themselves based on their natural look. Women today are free to democratically express their distinct personalities and tastes rather than be tied to social impositions on aesthetic appearance.

What do you predict for the future of hairstyling?

Women and men will continue to discover the pleasure of proper haircare. Fortunately, I’ve noticed over the last few years that our clientele is becoming more informed about hair protection. This is important because healthy hair is a fundamental form of maintenance. My hope for the future is that people will increasingly prioritize hair products made from natural ingredients. lapoviadeifossi.it

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Literature LITERARY CORNER

Illustrations by CHRISTINA MARIE GARCIA

As FUA’s writer-in-residence, I had the pleasure of working with six students on poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction that considers the theme of volume as it relates to Florence and to their own lives. These writers explore the visual and audial edges and perimeters that delineate space, relationships, and history.

They perceive Florence from within, from above, and through the melody that hums at the city’s core. They find rhythms in the reverberations of Florence’s past, locate inspiration in the Dionysian experience of creation, and reflect on the volumes that echo in the spaces formed by absence.

— JESSIE CHAFFEE Fulbright Scholar and FUA writer-in-residence

A Variation of Box Trees at the Gates of Heaven LAUREN SARRANTONIO Some anniversaries, my palms get so foreign they are no longer the ones that knew yours— this inevitable shedding we can’t call remembering.

In my dreams I am knitting up stairwells,

Missing: Beloved Sister, Daughter, Friend LAUREN SARRANTONIO

transgendered goodbye steps so pumped with breath —I sup in, sharp, through my teeth & taste your voice.

She has empty pockets and eyes that don’t breathe: You, hunchback, slouch toward me in my cerebral cortex: with this I am always next to you. Speech is a vehicle for carrying language, but it is not language itself—cocoons waiting on my earlobes. You died on Palm Sunday; I’ve worn no box, yew or olive since,

when she’d look to me, I knew she remembered how air felt, like the hour she filled her chest—with no plan on having more.

Waking up is half relief since I found she holds the world at times; I would hold it but could never stand. Yesterday became birthday wishes because she stopped looking to me the moment she started counting minutes on her cheeks.

no needle in my arm. m. Just a quiet walk over nested footprints. nts.

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Through Worn Eyes MAGGIE SCHUTZ

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he bright sun gently touched his shoulder and the tired structure gradually opened his eyes to the new day. Over the years, he had known many pestering mornings, but somehow the joy of the radiating light found a way to warm his weary, stone heart, grown cool with the night’s solitude. People slowly trickled down the streets around him. Foreign noises rose to his ears and cigarette smoke and car fumes clouded the air. Even after centuries of watching these people, they still left the building confounded.

Why do they point at me, flash lights at me, and constantly touch me?

Once every century, a little human being might catch his attention: a mortal who would come up to him and look not with awe, criticism, or curiosity, but rather acceptance. In one of these moments, a little girl walked up to him and began speaking as if she had known him for years. Perhaps he had seen her before, but the building had long ago given up trying to distinguish one face from another.

“Hello!” the little girl said, looking up with a smile. The building had no idea what she meant, but her presence gave him a strange feeling of warmth. Her black hair flew around her the way ravens coast through the sky. Her voice was a refreshing descant above the city noise, a chirping finch amongst the crying masses. The ancient structure had witnessed many voices lost to the crowd, yet this tiny human did not cease trying: “Mother is inside praying, but she said I could sit on the steps. I like to talk a lot and the people inside turn around and glare at me.”

The little girl prattled on about her day, and when her mother appeared, she waved goodbye and left. Days, maybe years, passed as the ancient structure noticed this peculiar human wandering up to his doors, sometimes without her mother. When she was by herself, the girl would not go inside but would sit upon his steps. The girl became taller and then slowly drooped as a flower wilts near the end of its life. He grew fond of this little wisp of humanity and would silently sit soaking in the sunshine and rain she brought with her.vv One day the little being wobbled to his doors. The building could not recall if she had always walked in this manner.

“I fear I will be leaving you soon,” the old woman said in a quivering voice, “but I will come visit again on my last day.”

The old structure could sense human emotion taking place. He tasted salt upon his stone. The little girl’s face looked different, and he could not understand how a being far younger than he could look so old and frail.

“Goodbye, my friend.” She gently pressed her lips against the wall and walked away. Not long after, a black casket was carried out of Santa Croce. The building the little girl loved was not moved. He remained in his square, observing humanity march past him, pushing their smoke and car fumes in his face. Time eventually swept the memory of the girl into the past; but once in a while, when humanity really baffled him, he would think back to the glimmer of human emotion he had almost understood: a little face looking up at him with a smile and saying, “Hello.”

S mart GABRIELLE POVOLOTSKY The maddest minds and most colorful hearts Are often sneered at with snarky disdain Though passion-pumped wisdom holds hands with stars and discovers worlds in droplets of rain.

Expression, too beautiful for such worlds, Tossed downstream, bleeding its tireless glow For the minds trying to humanize pearls Kiss sea floors, tied to cinderblocks of gold.

Starving, abandoned, their faith on death’s chair Thoughts outside boxes are forced to confine.

To my wild-hearted inmates, heed my prayer: That which you seek outlives that which you find.

For in spite of their crippling waywardness, Endearing, freeing are cracked compasses.

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L I T E R AT U R E

A Florentine Melody EMILY FITZGERALD ciao bella and marriage proposals beckon from market salesmen smen as b bells chime from distant church towers, marking the passing ssing of another hour a street musician fiddles familiar tunes for pocket change st while whi blaring car horns announce another near-accident rain patters on cobblestones as pedestrians shuffle along, their umbrellas rippling open with a dull thump in a restaurant, glasses clink beers hiss and corks pop from bottles of wine above me, pigeons’ wings flap as they look for a safe roost away from the obedient dogs on jingling leashes quiet gasps escape the mouths of tourists witnessing monumental nu umental beauty while natives sigh their way through the crowds, muttering ng g words of frustration I exhale a soft breath, my only contribution to this musical al city it doesn’t need my help to create this song I exist simply as a member of its audience

Sky High ERIN NICOLAI

S

trolling along the cobblestone streets of Florence, I can’t help but look up at the beautifull buildings, take in the unique gothic-style cathedral, and admire the iconic statues and museums surrounding me. Li Living i iin a city i filled with so much history and art leaves me in a constant state of speculation as to what I might stumble upon around the next corner. Walking through the city is both exciting and effortless—weeks turn into days and hours turn into minutes—and with the Duomo in my backyard, it is easy to feel as though I am walking through a postcard or living in a painting. With the sun beating down on my face and reflecting off the tops of the buildings high above me, it is hard to feel anything but miniscule. But what if I was at the top of one of those buildings, with a bird’s-eye view looking down on the entire city?

My favorite spots in Florence allow me to do just that, and seeing the city from these different perspectives has been very meaningful. Piazzale Michelangelo is one of the places where I can overlook the city. From this vantage point, I can see in one glance the famous Duomo, the Ponte Vecchio, and the Arno River flowing between the endless red rooftops. Seeing Florence from above makes me appreciate the narrow streets and grand piazzas I walk through every day. As I sit on the steps of the Piazzale, listening to live music, I find myself thinking, How could anything be better than this?

I have a similar sensation when I see Florence from the top of the Duomo. Climbing up 463 steps may get tiring, but it is worth it. Because the cathedral is located right in the center of Florence, the 360° views from the top are nothing short of perfect, and as I look out at the city and watch the specks of people circling the streets below me, I no longer feel as minuscule as I do on the ground. Experiencing Florence from multiple perspectives—from both within and above—has enabled me to enjoy every inch of this incredible place.

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Florence Trhough the Years CLIODHNA JOYCE-DALY The burst of flames spreads its wings through the beacon of blurred Tuscan dusk, Disappearing the darkness out from its rustic sleep, And century after century, the little town rises from its lengthy slumber, Pushing its way into another day.

1630 The pulsing blackness engulfs the city, A tainted smell through the unbolted windows.

It is filthy. The People. The Place. The City.

But no one cares.

The oppressive figure towers over us, watching us suffer.

A family name so vigorous, dominating the world we live in, Their capes and gowns hiding behind the Baroque artwork they bring, But we know the truth.

1861 The mass of rusty cavalry rummage through the street, Pools of baffled faces inundate. Unification, they said.

We are one, solo Italia. Venice and Lombardy are free.

The warriors salute beneath banners. Camouflaging their masks.

Blood was shed, but the nation obliterates their memory.

Shaping their minds with welfare, struggle and desire for independence. ndence.

Language. Food. Culture. All becomes combined into one pot.

Grazie Mazzini. We were awaiting a shift.

1942 Dread and horror dictate my every breath, Permanent gloom clouds the city, like thick smoke.

This war is not for the fainthearted.

Depression-Oppression-Feeling may never end.

Volumes of arms are concealed above the river, Launched out in the obsidian of nights. Tucked and buckled-like our men, Who have disappeared into the bleak past, A point of no return.

2014 The crimson red stiletto illuminates the tip of the cigarette, And cars buzz down the alleys, embarking for the day, Beating through the rhythm of the smoke along the cobblestones.

The intensive aroma of cappuccino drifts from the panetteria.

It is the season again. As the lanes become compact.

Impinging the swarming pools of bodies.

Bumping and thwacking, inflicting exhaustion.

Bloody tourists.

The burst of flames settles its wings to its returning plot, The twilight engulfs the perched buildings, And the little town pushes its way into another slumber, Century after century.

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L I T E R AT U R E

EMILY PURCELL

book bound

Photographs by CHRISTINA MARIE GARCIA

Florence is a town that has certainly not forgotten its Roman roots. From its layout to its language and architecture, nods to Ancient Rome still fill Florence today. Though it is easily seen in many architecture and design elements, Rome’s influence can best be heard when walking through the streets and listening in on conversations, since so many languages, Italian included, is derived from Latin.

O

ne such derivative is the word “volume,” which developed from the Latin word “to roll.” Originally referring to a scroll that contained text, “volume” later developed an additional meaning to help define how much was included in a body of text, eventually giving rise to the geometric definition we have today.

As Ancient Roman influence lives on through Latin derivatives like “volume,” those volumes too help carry on a piece of history - the Florentine bookmaking and consequential book preservation tradition. Centuries ago, the scrolls to which “volume” originally referred transitioned from one long piece of paper to many smaller ones, bound at the edges. Since then, the processes involved have been mechanized to produce books as we know them today.

Hand-bound books, however, can still be found, studied and made.

Florence is rich with bookmaking supplies - ubiquitous leather, fiber for unique threads and beautiful handmade papers. Workshops like Il Torchio still hand-bind books and journals, even producing custom orders. Current owner Erin Ciulla will even teach workshops to interested groups, spreading the tradition even further.

Florence also keeps its history alive in book restoration. In 1966, the flood of the Arno damaged innumerable books, pieces of art and historical artifacts. At the Biblioteca Nazionale Centrale di Firenze alone, over 1.3 million articles were damaged. This in addition to damage in dozens of other libraries, shops and museums devastated Florence’s historical collection.

This brought rise to extensive restoration and preservation methods. Among others, the Central Institute of Restoration and Institute of Book Pathology contributed to the effort and through work in Florence, concepts like phased conservation and mass de-acidification were born.

It was lucky, then, that Florence’s bookbinding tradition had not been forgotten, as many of those artisans and binders were called upon to contribute to the preservation effort. The work that was required to restore and preserve all of those articles and the fact that there were people available to help who were skilled in those techniques both help verify the importance of history in Florence. From Ancient Rome to the Renaissance, Florence recognizes, appreciates and perpetuates the significance of its past. legatoriailtorchio.com

Florence also keeps its history alive in book restoration.

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Don Milani’s emblematic phrase, “I care,” heavily contrasted the fascist slogan “Me ne frego” ("I don’t care").

do you remember those days?

ALESSIA BONANNO CARLOTTA CIRRI GIOVANNI LUCA VALEA Photographs by ALESSIA BONANNO

“In a lifetime, there are only five or six unforgettable days.

The others are simply volume,” as the great Italian writer, journalist, and screenwriter Ennio Flaiano wrote in Autobiografia del Blu di Prussia.

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he statement is undeniably true, because ultimately, the days that really matter are just a few, and not everyone is capable of seizing the moment. Thus, the volume of daily life increases, and humanity remains paralyzed, choking, under the shade of an immobile and perfect boredom, while opportunities slip away. For both mankind and cities, there are grey days, sunny days and foggy ones, and within them, a great nothingness that fi lls the streets and buildings. All of this volume fi lls up history and whether it’s right or wrong there isn’t a single word to describe it. And then, in this emptiness, which isn’t truly empty since the magma of history is never fully dormant, those five or six unforgettable days dot our existence. We do not intend to write about battles or wars – there are others who attend to this responsibility – because we are interested in the finer subtleties that have marked the life of a city. In

this article, we have chosen to focus on some Tuscan cities whose fathomless vanity has never exhausted the sense of great, overwhelming beauty. Don Milani’s movement in the Mugello valleys, the enlightened and serious reign of Pietro Leopoldo I of Viennese origins but Florentine by adoption, the passionate cries of scientist Margherita Hack. Each of these characters spared useless volume from history by sparking days of fire, of teeming facts and people, of fierce days of escape and re-entry.

Such was the case of Leopoldo I (1747-1792), Grand Duke of Tuscany from 1765 to 1790. His farsighted humanity and anti-dogmatic enlightenment made Tuscany a bulwark of reason against raging violence. November 30th, 1786 was a day far from being pure volume as defined by Flaiano, when Leopoldo I became the first sovereign to abolish the death penalty. In tune with the philoso-

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“When you have thrown into the world a child without education, you have thrown a sparrow without wings into the sky.” From Lettera a una professoressa.

Leopoldo I didn’t abolish just the death penalty and torture, he also improved the life conditions of the condemned.

“Astronomy has taught us that we are not the center of the universe, [...] we are the result of the stellar evolution, we are made of the substance of stars.” – Margherita Hack

citizens still await for days that matter to arise from the dust of everyday volume.

pher and jurist Cesare Beccaria’s principles regarding the need to nary date for education not only in Tuscany but throughout Italy abolish the penalty expounded in Dei delitti e delle pene, Leopoldo I because Lettera a una professoressa was destined to influence the forbade torture and prohibited the Via Crucis, a procession inflicted teaching methods of generations of teachers.

On the other hand, October 22nd, 2008 seemed a day like any upon the condemned prior to execution. It was a moment of absolute pride for the Granducato of Tuscany, and a date to remember other. However, a mild autumn morning unveiled an important much of the Leopold’s reform is still valid today. The ruler saw the event. In Florence’s Piazza della Signoria, Margherita Hack roars. human side of those who were on trial, he protected their digni- She shakes her hands, discusses Galileo and Comte, traces the path ty and presumption of innocence, guaranteeing a lawyer to those of human life, and criticizes the government, thrilling a crowd of who couldn’t afford it. In the end, we mustn’t neglect Leopoldo’s 4,000 students. The 86-year-old astrophysicist (1922-2013) demonvision of the prison as a tool to recover and rehabilitate rather strated her full communicative force. The hottest topics didn’t than a place of expiration. It was only through this vision that the scare her, she tackled them with passion and at times anger while condemned could aspire to be reintegrated into commenting the research budget cuts decided by society upon release.

Berlusconi’s government. Why this date out of all There are also days that are redolent of silent days? Wasn’t it an ordinary lesson given in a public rebellion, and not always heroes carry a sword by square, yet another protest? No, it wasn’t, because their side. Sometimes, heroes are not young and October 22nd proved to thousands of students the dashing but humble and modest. The air on May glaring necessity of culture in a society where the 26th, 1967 must’ve had a beautiful scent, a perlust for power and the need to appear abuse the beauty of a free, approachable, and elitism-free fume of victory for the many children for whom knowledge. On this date, in the noblest of Florlife had reserved the lowest rungs of the ladder. entine squares, apparently distant and difficult The merit goes to a Florentine Catholic priest, scientific topics as recounted by Hack enthralled Don Milani, and his educational treatise Lettera four thousand pairs of eyes and ears. For Florence, a una professoressa. This was a day unlike others a city that at times is naïve and bourgeois, it was in history, because Don Milani’s message went on one of those unforgettable days. to become one of the fundamental elements of What about Florence today? “Unhappy is the land the student protests in 1968. Lettera a una profesin need of heroes,” wrote the German playwright soressa is a publication in the form of the letter Bertolt Brecht. Perhaps Florence can be considto a teacher in which Don Milani lashes out at “Cuts to the university system ered fortunate, because big heroes seem to be the selectivity of compulsory schooling, guilty affect the youth. What would we do if we had an Einstein amongst lacking from its landscape. Cultural immobilof alimenting social imbalance. In Milani’s mind, us today?” From Margherita Hack’s ity has generated a contradiction in one of the education – characterized deep social injustices speech in Piazza della Signoria, Florence, October 22nd, 2008. most beautiful art capitals, leaving the city at the – privileged children from wealthy families and mercy of a monumental vanity that has disconpenalized the poorest ones who were unable to get a higher education. Don Milani’s pedagogical work was revolu- nected it from other Italian cities. Nowadays, political events, estionary: his ideal school had no programs or grades, it had a noble pecially considering the Italian prime minister and former mayor and high purpose such as preparing children to face life and reality. of Florence Matteo Renzi, make Florence a point of reference, but Pier Paolo Pasolini, a declared atheist, visited Milani’s foundation its citizens still await for days that matter to arise from the dust maintained by his last living student in the Tuscan town of Barbi- of everyday volume. The hope of rediscovering something to be ana. After spending the night reading the Bible at the foundation, proud of not only for Florence but the entire world is not lost. Hope Pasolini conceived the idea for one of his most inspired movies, Il for another Margherita Hack to make crowds fall in love with innoVangelo secondo Matteo. Don Milani’s personality, gruff but inti- vation, for a new Don Milani to welcome those rejected by society mately moved by an extraordinary love for his students, won over with open arms, for a visionary such as Leopoldo I to bring new the famed filmmaker from Friuli. While Leopoldo I examined the perspectives to a political system that has consumed the country, human side of the condemned, Don Milani focused on the bottom and for all those who will revolutionize in completely new ways levels of society: poor children. May 26th, 1967 was an extraordi- that we have yet to encounter.

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ZACHARY HAMMER

VOLUMES OF SOLIDARITY

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eaving my apartment at eight a.m. I head towards class. The streets are quiet, not like the erie silence that come with late night strolls but the kind of silence where you can hear the occasional bike chain and the buses as they drive by. At 8:05 a.m. an Italian woman no younger than seventy waddles past me as she heads in the opposite direction. The sun is barely peeking over the buildings but half the street is covered in light. She walks on the side with shade. She wears a sweater with a long flowing skirt, black shoes and a wooden cane. She always is walking alone, with determination in her eyes. She carries a single plastic bag in the arm opposite of her cane. Never traveling with anyone, always in the same direction. I guess that’s what she must think of me as she passes by, if she even notices me pass her every day.

At 8:15 a.m. a young boy no older that ten swings open a huge brown door, maneuvering his backpack as he steps onto the cobblestone streets. Every time I wait for his parents to follow him out, but each time they don’t. With him I can assume he is heading to school though I don’t know how far he is walking. He walks there alone.

At 11:00 a.m. I find myself sitting alone at a cafe. I spot a couple across the room sitting at a table enjoying their midday espresso. They seem to be catching up on the week. Her lips separate and close, her tongue pressed against her teeth with a breathe every few words as she debates which topic to continue onto. My eyes scan her lips translating the movements into words but ultimately I can only catch every ten words. I look at his face; in his eyes I can see the distraction, there is so much depth within them that he too must be only catching the gist of her rambling. He too is here alone, catching up on his thoughts.

It’s 5:15 p.m. and the sun begins to set, the sky slowly darkening. A man sits alone on the steps at Piazza Santa Croce. The light slices his face illuminating a few bristles of stubble on his face. His sunglasses hide his eyes but you can tell he isn’t waiting for anyone. He is leaned backwards relaxing as the day is coming to a close. There is nowhere for him to be but here. I sit across from him on a white stone bench scanning the people seeing the others sit there silently enjoying the last few rays of sun as they slowly disappear behind the buildings, hiding until tomorrow. Day by day in this city filled with thousands, I see the overwhelming amounts of singles, people who venture and enjoy the city alone, enjoying their day in solitude.

Photos by CHRISTINA MARIE GARCIA

Day by day in this city filled with thousands, I see the overwhelming amounts of singles.

Ph. by ANNA LYNCH

Ph. by ELLIE BAER

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FUA SOCIAL MEDIA SPRING 2015 CLASS*

A Suitcase

of

Stereotypes

Ph. by MEL JABBOUR

Interview with Lebanese actor and director CHARBEL KAMEL Photos courtesy of Charbel Kamel

Drawing from language studies, it can be said that we all walk around carrying two more or less voluminous suitcases: one is labeled “assumptions,” while the other is labeled “presuppositions.” Together, they make our perception of other people and situations heavier or lighter; in other words they determine biases and stereotypes according to our personal background and experience. Ideally, becoming aware of the weight and of the filters it superimposes on everyday situations makes our suitcases easily transportable.

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I

s it possible to deliver unbiased information? While debating this issue during the Social Media class at FUA, one of the visuals used to stimulate debate was the recently released, controversial short film by Charbel Kamel. An emerging artist by his own definition, Charbel Kamel is a young actor and director from Lebanon who decided to move to Paris to further his cinema and art education. As an artist, he decided to address the stereotypes encountered in Europe through visual storytelling as seen in his latest short film, Ceci n’est pas une menace. Viewers see a casting for a short film on terrorist attacks. Charbel first auditions for the role of the jihadist Ahmed to find out that he does not match any of the requested stereotypes. In the end he cannot help but to break free from all of them. This interview is a summary of the conversation that took place between the Social Media students and the director.

What inspired you to take this issue on?

Since I've moved to Paris, what I’ve heard here are the things discussed in the film. Many French citizens have a childhood best friend who is Lebanese, everyone loves Lebanese cuisine. These are real stereotypes and clichés I’ve heard everywhere, and they are also related to my accent. So this short film is inspired by true events when it comes to the dialog. The film was written on December 19th, on a plane back to Beirut to see family and friends as well as to shoot the film. For the record, it was shot on January 6th, the night before the Charlie Hebdo tragedy. Many of acquaintances found this to be a strange coincidence and were convinced that I was predicting the future. Nonsense, of course, but we have the same problem in the Arab world related to the image of terrorism wrecking personal property and places in general, etc.

Why did you choose a female as the casting director character?

I thought that sound-wise it would be interesting to listen to a guy-girl dialog, rather than hearing the conversation between two men. Secondly, I personally think that women are more talkative, especially French women. Thirdly, I won’t deny the game of seduction: traditional spectators can more easily sympathize with the situation acted out by a guy and a girl. I wanted to include this “game” in the film to convey further meanings.

Were you nervous about publishing the film online?

Oh yes! I remember that when I came back from Beirut, I had finished subtitles and shown it to a very dear French friend. This friend works in the US and was the first French viewer of the project. His reaction? “Charbel, you can’t publish this online.” Then an incident happened to Dieudonné, the French comedian and political activist, who was arrested on January 13th. I literally panicked. Then I sent a private link on Vimeo to some other French friends who were very supportive. I had originally intended to add a line saying that the director is against any form of violence but then I thought that it was redundant: it’s normal that we don’t accept violence!

cultural cliches are like post-its that we stick on people instead of a wall.

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Ph. by ANWAR AZZI

COMMUNITY

What did you expect from viewer’s reactions? Did you intend to offer a lesson or poke fun at stereotypes?

In every artistic creation, especially in films, there are four things that matter to me: Entertainment, respect towards your audience, the message, and finally the feelings, emotions, sensations, and so on. I personally prioritize the first point, as I like to entertain people.

These four elements are very subjective. For instance, the director of Fifty Shades of Grey might say that she is respecting her audience when she is showing the film, It’s totally up to her. Every director decides how much he or she wants to show of these four elements. I have to say that my first priority is not the message but creativity, experienced in writing and coming up with ideas. Later on I usually grapple with the message behind what I want to show. I make a film because I wanted to make it, and then I wonder what the film wants to say. In the end, the answer doesn’t worry me too much, because I think that creative ideas come from our background, ethics, and morals, so I don’t believe that reducing a fi lm purely to its message matters so much in the end.

Why did you choose an English-speaking victim?

Simple, because of the stereotypes and cultural clichés. We can’t live without cultural clichés. We need them in our life and regardless of whether we've traveled a lot, watched tons of TV, or the opposite. Everyone can easily say “the Germans are rigid” and so on for the French, the Americans. These cultural clichés are like post-its that we stick on people instead of a wall. I think they are necessary, funny, and interesting; the problem occurs when they become harmful and prevent humans from coming together. For instance, when we say that a certain culture or population is made up of terrorists, or that they are mean or bad, what happens? We stop reaching out towards that population, we become scared of it.

Representing the victim as an English-speaker speaks for the stereotype of West vs. East.

What audience were you targeting?

I uploaded my short fi lm online on Youtube, not even on Vimeo, in order to increase exposure. It’s naive to say that everyone will like your fi lm, that there will be a unanimous consensus. It’s about a provocative topic that generates discussion. I am an emerging artist, and need to have people talk about what I do. Bad publicity is good publicity after all, even if people don’t like my fi lm they share it and criticize it. Even harshly. I prefer this to passive audiences.

* Christine Angell, Meghan Borowick, Lindsey Bowen, Sarah Wanda Dawson, Alexander Delgado, Giulia Dissenha Pigatto, Margaret Kuhn Durnien, Amy Nichole Edelman, Daniel Fiori, Jessica Maddie Fischer, Meghan Jane Gampper, Francesca Giordano, Lily Goode, Kathleen Grey, Tori Grosz, Hannah Gruer, Brielle Jones, Lindsay Elizabeth Keaton, Jamie Kemp, Kaela Marie Kinnare, Ashley Lasota, Joshua Harry Low, Rebecca Elaine Maclin, Donald Maita, Caroline McQuade, Meaghan Molloy, Gina Christine Navarro, Paul Matthew Nordquist, Amanda Piccolino, Angela Stefania Pucci, Stephanie Rizzitano, Connor Saccoccio, Joan Gillespie Sanders, Keeley Shields, Amy Silverman, Marissa Smith, Christina Stellingwerf, Katherine Elizabeth Tudor, Makenna Walls.

This article was supervised by FUA faculty member ISABELLA MARTINI.

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soccer cubed: a sport of many volumes SERENA VINCI, PAMMELA HERNANDEZ NIETO Similar to the Rubik’s cube solution requiring each of the six surfaces to be composed of corresponding colors, the concept of volume applied to soccer is like piecing together many mosaic-like elements. We will compose our “soccer cube” by trying to capture the journey throughout the history of soccer and Florence.

Ph. by VANESSA WEEGO

T

Ph. by ALESSIA PESARESI

he link between soccer and volume embraces various elements.

The first refers to the foundations of athletic preparation of a soccer player. The training undertaken by the athlete follows several parameters: intensity, duration, density, frequency and, of course, volume. The player must navigate a specific space: the playing field. He or she must study it in order to develop the skills and tactics needed to produce the volume of the game made up of actions performed on the field. Additionally, the player moves within other dimensions: the sound produced by spectators who participate in a live or broadcasted setting, and the geographical and multicultural realm of borders to overcome for the different nations represented by the individuals involved in the game.

The dynamics of the game are also perceived in antiquity. Soccer has, in fact, international ancestors from various parts of the world from the Far East to Latin America, involving the ancient cultures of Mexico, Greece, and the Roman Empire. During the Renaissance, the Medici family, who were fans of the game, encouraged the Florentine noble class to engage in this athletic activity. This is precisely how calcio storico was born. In 1930, calcio storico officially became an annual event that puts the four historic districts of the city up to an intense challenge: Santa Croce (blue team), Santa Maria Novella (red team), Santo Spirito (white team), and San Giovanni (green team). The event commemorates a special moment in the history of Florence: a rudimentary form of soccer played as an act of aloof defiance in Piazza Santa Croce during the siege of the city by the troops of Carlo V (1529-1530). This emblematic match is considered the precursor of modern soccer, rugby, and American football.

Today, Tuscany continues to represent one of the most active areas for sports in Italy. Thanks to Florentines Dante Berretti and the Marquis Ridolfi, the hills of Fiesole and Settignano host a center that is home to the technical sector of the FIGC (Federazione Italiana Giuoco Calcio, the Italian soccer federation) since 1952. The center serves as the main training facility of the Italian national team. Furthermore, the province of Florence representing the county of towns of which Florence is the capital, is one of the few in Italy that has two A Series teams: Fiorentina and Empoli,

Ph. by ALESSIA PESARESI

and it is the only province where the two teams have their own stadiums in different cities.

The history of soccer begins every single day, and as Argentine writer Jorge Luis Borges wrotve, “every time that a child kicks something on the street…” It begins every time that fans watch and comment on a game. In soccer, fans multiply volume, they determine it and try to define it. Given the importance of fans, it’s also important to hear their voices. Thanks to the statements of internationals visiting Florence, the idea of volume in soccer has taken different shades and colors. According to Shawky, a 37-year-old from Dubai (UAE), “The volume in soccer means everything that surrounds it; soccer acts as a social network, creates a network of friendships, and unites people of different nationalities that support a team.” Moreover, Scott, 26, from Manchester (UK), says that the relationship between volume and soccer “is the ability to overcome cultural and language barriers, because in soccer we speak one language, the universal language of the game.” For Laura and Jorge, 22, from Soria (Spain), volume in soccer amounts to “the number of people watching a game.”

From a professional standpoint, Fabrizio Polloni, former pro player and current coach of the Florentine team Audace Legnaia, defines his coaching technique as follows: “The field is representative of volume, especially for how a physical space is occupied. During the game, the athlete must have a solid perception of his body in relation to the space and move accordingly to perform the game’s actions and avoid going offside.”

Therefore, the concept of volume in soccer has two primary meanings, a technical and a socio-anthropological one. The first is linked to the bond between the player and his plane of action, the second involves the diverse individuals who share a passion for the same sport, those who travel around the world just to watch a game and interact with other fans from different backgrounds and cultures.

And it is precisely in this moment where the two meanings come together to generate a greater volume made up of acoustic intensity and impact on society. This volume produces a deeper resonance, it is not quantifiable, it multiplies daily, and reaches all corners of the globe to embrace millions of fans around the world.

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ENVIRONMENT

Panoramic view of Peccioli from Belvedere S.p.A. The Torre Campanaria bell tower was designed in 1885 by the architect and engineer Luigi Bellincioni (Pontedera, 1842-1929).

The impact of the landfi ll on the surrounding landscape.

Waste storage and disposal take place at the landfill.

Reproduction of the post-Caravaggio painter Orazio Gentileschi's San Cristoforo in Peccioli. The original is conserved at Berlin's Gemäldegalerie. In 2011, the Peccioli art foundation created this reproduction and others of similar Tuscan artists for the town and Belvedere S.p.A.

Panoramic view of the landfi ll. The polyurethane sculpture symbolizes how energy converted from waste generates new life for mankind. Created by Gianluca Salvadori, Alessio Salvadori, and Catia Marucci, the statue weights one ton and is 6.5 meters tall.

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trash in tuscany WHEN THE BULK OF WASTE TAKES ON A MONETARY VALUE:

peccioli, pisa

GIULIA BERTI, SALVATORE CHERCHI, ELIZABETH ELIZONDO Photographs by the authors

From Pontedera, along the provincial road “La Fila” heading south, after passing a roundabout planned by the Italian designer Giorgetto Giugiaro, you arrive at a small town that welcomes visitors with a large, multi-story parking lot. Once you park the car, a panoramic elevator takes you to a lovely town where nothing seems out of place and every view overlooking the Alta Valdera area of the Pisa countryside asks to be admired for its picturesque beauty.

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alking through the streets, carefully preserved 13th century buildings and churches blend with modern, at times flashy structures. We are in Peccioli, a town of 5,000 inhabitants in the province of Pisa, famous for a significantly sized landfill in its territory, which has transformed a village from anonymity into a national case in waste management.

At the end of the 1980s, citizens requested the closure of the town’s landfi ll, which was used as a free zone for waste storage.

Meanwhile, the municipal government acted against the closure.

After receiving funds from the Tuscan region, the town’s administration started an expansion of the landfi ll in order to accommodate more waste and to draw benefits from it for the production of biogas. By doing so, they were able to justify the subsequent installation of double-function plant to produce electricity and hot water. The citizens, affected by a strong case of the “NIMBY Syndrome” (Not In My Backyard), were able overcome their initial doubts through an increase of transparent policy and information in order to familiarize the local community with the inherent value of waste and its possible conversion into economic volume. The town’s wager was a winning one and in 1997, the management of the landfi ll was assigned to Belvedere S.p.A., a company based on a “broad shareholder base” representing both the city and its citizens. Belvedere’s high profits are distributed amongst its shareholders and have three main uses: maintenance of the landfill, tax reductions and public services (including waste, kindergartens, schools, and cafeterias) and above all, the building and maintenance of otherwise expensive public spaces such as the multi-story parking lot, a sports center, museums, roads, and religious and educational buildings.

The collection of Peccioli’s waste is entrusted to the citizens through curbside pickup of organic, multi-material (plastic, metal and glass, transferred to the nearby town of Pontedera for recycling), and the undifferentiated, solid non-hazardous urban waste used to produce biogas. Waste for biogas is transported to the thermal power plant, where thanks to a CHP (cogeneration, or combined heat and power) plant, waste becomes electricity subsequently turned over to the power manufacturer Enel’s network and is used to power the heating systems in the town of Legoli. The landfill col-

lects waste piled onto double insulation sheets covered with gravel and tires that allow waste to be compacted for volume reduction.

The leachate, a polluting liquid produced by the compacting and decomposition of waste, is collected by a system of slotted pipes to be stored in special decanting tanks.

In Italy the volume of waste is of 32.5 million kg per year (ISPRA 2008). Peccioli’s landfill, with its 25 hectares, manages a volume of 300,000 tons of MSW (municipal solid waste) per year from urban areas related to the towns of the Alta Valdera and Alta Costa (Pisa, Lucca, Prato, Florence, and Massa Carrara).

The local public opinion is divided. Those in favor argue the economic side: landfills are necessary, so why not take advantage of the possible economic profits? Those of the opposing faction believe that the economic return is in decline and not as substantial as people may want to believe. Then there is the issue of revenue management: the favorable praise of public works and initiatives supported by Belvedere S.p.A, such as “A Hectare of Heaven,” the first and largest photovoltaic system open to voluntary participation in Tuscany, and “Rustic Plots,” which aims to restructure 40 houses on the Valdera hills.

Opponents believe that the public spaces constructed thus far are useless for a community of Peccioli’s size: the money spent on maintaining them could be invested more wisely. For example, by starting a “door to door” waste collection program or even implementing the “Transition Town” model. The TT model aims to develop a community that is self-organized to reduce consumption, waste, and pollution. The movement is present in more than 40 countries in the world, and has a singular goal: to reach a volume of zero waste by following three golden rules: reduce, reuse, recycle.

Transition Towns not only want to change the way in which waste is disposed of, but also make citizens aware of the resources available to them to prevent the increase of waste volume. By implementing the model, the towns are encouraged to seek alternative methods to increase autonomy at all levels, such as the creation of community gardens, recycling of waste materials, or simply repairing old items that are no longer functional instead of disposing them as waste. This system is at odds with the model adopted by Peccioli not only ideologically, but also monetarily.

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FIRENZE IS MY GELATO THE HISTORY OF GELATO IN FIRENZE: ORIGINS AND NEW TRENDS Photographs by AYDIN BERNA

SILVIA BELLOTTI NICOLETTA CAVAGLIERI NANCY PUGLISI

“Ice cream is made to contain a great deal of air and is truly a whipped product. This air is necessary to prevent ice cream from being too dense, too hard and cold in the mouth. The increase in volume caused by whipping air into the mix during the freezing process is known as overrun.”

(N. Potter, J. Hotchkiss – Food Science)

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erhaps not everyone knows that gelato (ice cream) as we know it today originated in Florence during the XVI century, the protagonist of the anecdote that reveals the history of this delicious dessert is Ruggieri da Firenze, a Florentine poulterer. On the occasion of a culinary competition for the “most singular dish ever seen,” he prepared a dessert made of “sugared and flavored ice water.” With this recipe, this pioneer master chef obtained an overwhelming victory and a new job in the Florentine staff of Queen Caterina de’ Medici who married into the French royal court. Thanks to Caterina’s influence, the gelato recipe soon become popular throughout Europe; as a matter of fact she had gelato served at all of the banquets that she hosted. It was yet again in sixteenth century Florence that the architect, sculptor and painter Bernardo Buontalenti perfected Ruggeri’s recipe. He created a cream made of milk, honey, egg yolk and a few drops of wine flavored with bergamot, lemon, and orange. This recipe is the base for the famous crema fiorentina (Florentine Cream) still made today by some of Florence’s best gelaterie (ice cream shops) in both the city center and greater metropolitan area of town.

As for the city center, Florence’s oldest shop still serving this delicacy is the much-loved Gelateria Vivoli. It was founded in 1932 by brothers Serafino and Raffaello Vivoli, and it is located in

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Via dell'Isola delle Stinche in the Santa Croce neighborhood. At the time gelato was made by using natural ice that come from Saltino, a small town in the mountains near the Tuscan town of Reggello.

The ice was transported from the mountains to the city by night to prevent it from melting. Between the 60s and 70s, the shop was inherited by Raffaello’s son, Piero, who honored the family name by turning Vivoli into one of Florence’s best gelaterie. Vivoli to this day is a gathering spot for ice cream lovers of all ages and backgrounds where one can enjoy the original recipe of the Florentine Cream.

Another appreciated Florentine gelateria is the Gelateria de’ Neri. Located in Via de’ Neri, close to Vivoli, the shop was established in 1989. Its success is due to two main factors: the warm hospitality of the staff and the amazing variety of ice cream products and flavors from classic vanilla ice-cream, hazelnut, chocolate, pistachio, etc., to unique flavors such as moretto, ricotta and figs, and green apple. Gelateria de’ Neri also offers a wide selections of hot chocolate, warm waffles, crepes, and yogurt. In short, the place is a feast for the appetite and the eyes!

Last but not least, another longtime favorite is Gelateria la Carraia with locations at Ponte alla Carraia and in via de’ Benci. It is a perfect example of what happens when tradition, novelty, and passion passed on from one generation to the next come together.

FOOD

Thanks to Caterina’s influence, the gelato recipe soon become popular throughout Europe.

Here it is possible to delight your palate with a traditional Cremose Cremosità (Creamy Creaminesses), enjoy the new flavors such as La cupola di Firenze (the Dome of Florence), or try a single-portion sorbet packed with an unforgettable and lightly spiced taste.

There are many gelaterie worth of notice in Florence and for those who can not resist the temptation of trying them all, fortunately there is the ultimate yearly event, the Gelato Festival. Started in 2010, this traveling ice cream expo begins and ends in Florence and lasts for more than 100 days in different European locations. The 2015 Gelato Festival began in Florence on April 30th and its calendar includes Milan (May 7th), Turin (June 11th), and Rome (June 18th). It doesn’t end here though: the festival will be the ambassador of the made in Italy concept abroad: London, Amsterdam, Valencia, and Madrid represent the festival’s foreign stops for the joy of both locals and Italians abroad, who will without a doubt appreciate the chance to relive the pleasures of tastes from back home.

The Gelato Festival offers guests and visitors a multitude of activities and experiences, from the gelato-tasting area featuring innovative flavors and original combinations to the didactic area where renowned Italian chefs and ice cream makers will perform demos featuring tricks of the trade. It will also be possible to observe how gelato is made in each phase of preparation thanks to

the biggest traveling gelato-workshop ever created. The workshop is an incredible chance to experience first-time flavors debuting at festival by seeing how Italian ice cream made and subsequently tasting the creations concocted by the maestro gelatiere (master ice cream maker) assisted by students from Italian hospitality high schools. Another highlight of the Gelato Festival is vide variety of gelato-cocktails also available in non-alcoholic versions, for a complete, 360° gelato experience.

The Gelato Festival will end its European tour in Florence during October 1-4, 2015.

For the latest news and information on the festival’s summer stops: gelatofestival.it Florentine gelaterie in the historic city center: Gelateria Vivoli, Via dell’Isola delle Stinche 7r Gelateria de' Neri, Via de’ Neri 9/11 Gelateria La Carraia, Piazza Nazario Sauro 25r and Via de’ Benci 24r

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FOOD

The beauty in traditions lies in the relationships built between those that pass on the information and beliefs and those who absorb them.

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FOOD

LAUREN FROMIN

100% tradition apicius conference

Photographs by DAVID WEISS

There is much to be learned from traditions.

Though we live in a globalized world, more than ever it seems as if traditions are being lost daily despite the ease of connectivity and interaction between people from different cultures and generations.

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erriam-Webster defines traditions as “the handing down of information, beliefs, and customs by word of mouth or by example from one generation to another without written instruction.” The beauty in traditions lies in the relationships built betwee those that pass on the information and beliefs and those who absorb them. April 11th, 2015 marked the first annual Teaching Traditions conference, hosted by FUA’s Apicius International School of Hospitality. It was a day that brought together a group of people from different cultures and generations, with the sole purpose of passing on traditional customs and information focused on culinary arts, wine and enology, hospitality, and production methods and the importance of “hospitality as the relationship between hosts and guests, which requires knowledge of cultural differences in an international context and the need to be informed about which mannerisms and practices are appropriate in certain situations due to diverse customs throughout the world.

Students, instructors, food and wine producers, and the general public gathered at Apicius to witness three different discussion panels from industry experts including a wine panel hosted and organized by Apicius wine students, a cooking demonstration executed with the help of Apicius culinary students and product demonstrations from some of Italy’s most specialized producers. The first panel, This is Not a Cooking School!, led by the School of Hospitality at Penn State’s Teaching Associate Professor, Marja Johanna Verbeeten, discussed hospitality trends and educational methods in today’s present. Director of Catering and Events of Four Seasons, Elisa Peroli, highlighted cultural standards within the industry with practice be-

ing a key to success on top of theory-based education. Two sessions were dedicated to wine, led by Salcheto General Manager Mario Turrini and a group of Apicius Wine Expertise Students. From the service provided to guests by hospitality students, cooking demonstrations and tastings cooked by culinary students and the wine panel carried out by enology students, the ‘learning by doing” approach to tradition was witnessed at all levels of the conference.

Producers of some of Italy’s most important industries were on hand to share their traditions with guests: Acetaia Malpighi represented its authentic balsamic vinegar, Fattoria Paterno e Corzano handed out tastings of its cheeses - even its Buccia di Rospo (Toad’s Skin) created by mistake and now a top requested product, Riso Aquerello showed its aged carnaroli rice, Frantoio Pruneti conducted tastings of extra virgin olive oils from the Chianti region, Pastificio Fabbri offered lessons on gluten and demonstrated the process of forming the pasta by hand for all to see, and the biodynamic wine estate Azienda Agricola Salcheto demonstrated its progress in sustainable practices and quality products. With the presence of such producers, the sheer volume of knowledge in the form of traditions was the highlight of the conference. Each brought a piece of its history, customs and practices to all the students and guests who could attend this day of exchange.

FUA would like to thank all of the students and faculty members involved in the special event, to the producers who traveled to Florence and presented their products, and to the guests who attended.

The institution is excited to continue this new tradition and we will see you at next year's conference.

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Ph. by CHRISTINA MARIE GARCIA

Ph. by JOHN GRELLA

Ph. by MICHAEL WALDEN

A TEEMING EMPTINESS ALEXANDRA LOESER

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any people might define Florence by the sites of history to which millions of tourists flock each year. The Duomo, the Uffizi, the Accademia, the restaurants, the gelaterie, these are the spaces that define the city. This may be the case on the surface, but after having been here for almost two months, I’ve realized that the real essence of Florence, the “volume” of the city, is the space in between - the streets, the squares, the parks, courtyards, and outdoor spaces that fill Florence in. Although this could be considered emptiness, or negative space, it is really where life breathes most fully. This space is owned by no one and everyone, a shared space that gathers memory and experience like a rain barrel after the storm. This is a space where Florentines, travelers, and tourists tread together, a space both inside and outside the city, a place to be filled up with the depth and breadth of the human condition.

In Piazza della Signoria, a couple wants to take a picture of themselves in front of Palazzo Vecchio, but they have no third party to hold the camera. So they ask a young girl walking by, head tucked and hands in pockets, if she would mind. She pauses with a faint smile and carefully palms the couple’s camera, the slight bend of her pointer finger solidifying the couple’s memory of this place. A brief “thank you” is said, and then the girl and the couple walk their separate ways. What they can’t see are the invisible lines that stretch out behind each of them, now forever intertwined from the force of this small interaction.

All across the piazza, similar intersections occur. People walk, talk, stare, pause in their tracks, and form the backdrop of each other’s digital memories. A young man asks for directions, a little girl begs for a souvenir, an older couple buys an umbrella from a street vendor.

These interactions culminate and build until they become the rumble of energy that fills the spaces of Florence, the spaces that at first glance might appear empty. Tourists flock to see the Duomo, but they hardly realize the sea of people they must wade through to see it; fellow tourists, travelers, and people who call this city their home. The volume of Florence is the spaces in between its ancient buildings, and this space is filled to the brim with beating hearts.

Photos by CHRISTINA MARIE GARCIA

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VO I C E S & P L AC E S

SOUNDS OF THE SQUARE

LIA D'AMATO Photograph by EMILY PURCELL

T

he hum in the air has become common to my ears: the car engines, wheels trailing across the uneven cobblestones, tour guides spitting out rehearsed speeches, the chatter of the crowds of people drifting by. It is the middle of the day and Piazza Santa Croce is full of activity. I close my eyes and can feel the volume of all this commotion exploding in my ears. Every person shouts over the background noises as if in competition. Parents scold their children to stay close to them as those same kids try to rebel and escape the tight hold they are under. Cars lightly tap their horns to the oblivious people making the streets congested. Music is heard in the distance performed by men who put their souls into it. All of this forms into a soundtrack as I try to focus on my own thoughts; how can anyone overcome this constant level of noise?

Then I notice a different type of sound. Whereas the peak of the day was an overflow, the morning brings peace. There is still the background noise of cars, bicycles, and the few pedestrians passing through, but it is sporadic. I close my eyes again and can hear myself think.

Where are all of those people now who will quickly flood the empty space here? The venders who during the middle of the day are actively speaking trying to sell their products are now only slowly unfolding their carts in preparation for the day ahead. This piazza will never be void of sound but for maybe just these few hours before the commotion begins, there can be a moment of tranquility. If I try hard I can hear a stillness in the air by blocking out those occasional levels of sound which was impossible to do during the day. With my eyes still closed, the longer I sit on those cool steps of Santa Croce, I feel a change in the volume. As time passes, the familiar noises start to fill my ears yet again slowly, but surely. I open my eyes to find the venders fully set up, clusters of people making their way across the piazza, and families taking their mid day stroll throughout the city center. It all comes back and before I can think, the volume level rises to the degree that has become most recognizable to me and yet again, another day full of noise begins.

the longer I sit on those cool steps of Santa Croce, I feel a change in the volume.

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A TREE IN THE FOREST GABRIELLE POVOLOTSKY

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am not an exceptionally large person. In every class picture I’ve ever been in, I can always be found in the same bottom-right corner - the space reserved for the shortest person in the class. On the mysterious universal scale of volume and relativity, I am positive my mass accumulation, both literally and metaphorically, is equivalent to any other grain of sand on a beach. At any given moment, such an idea is both comforting and terrifying. As I continue to explore a city inhabited millions of times by multitudes of people, I constantly find myself looking up and comparing myself to the monumental structures around me. Among the carefully carved architecture, renowned art, and volumes upon volumes of stories interwoven in hidden archives of the city’s spirit, what is my place?

Walking through Florence while contemplating one’s place in life can prove to be a curious experience. The winding streets with similar qualities, coffee and leather aromas cloned from corner to corner, may easily prompt one to lose a sense of identity. Surely I am inside the city, as I am walking through its streets and can observe the culture around me; I am undoubtedly taking up space. Yet I also find myself to be on the outside, an invisible walker next to the prestigious buildings and artists whose souls take ownership of the city.

That is, until I reach midway through a block on the street which I live. Until just now, I had been so concerned with looking up and comparing my space to that around me and I had never looked straight ahead. Now, as I walk down the block, I see an elderly man. He is holding two armfuls of groceries, and hobbles with a noticeable limp. As he comes closer, I realize that the sidewalk is only wide enough for one of us to continue on. Suddenly, it is as if the entire world has shrunk and I have never been more aware of my size. Though the moment seems to last lifetimes, in actuality, it passes in a few seconds, with me taking a simple sidestep off the curb and around the man.

He smiles fleetingly, we give each other quick, understanding nods, and that is that. There doesn’t seem to be any literal chemical reaction on the street, but the colors of the walls glow a little bit brighter, and the smells grow a tad sweeter. Perhaps my everyday actions may not spark artistic revolutions, and my presence may not be grandiose, but if the space I take up makes the city one smile richer, then maybe the chaos is worth it – and that is just fine with me.

There doesn’t seem to be any literal chemical reaction on the street, but the colors of the walls glow a little bit brighter.

Ph. by EMMA ADAMS

Ph. by JULIA ARTAZA

Ph. by MEGAN LOIACONO

Ph. by CARLY SIMEONE

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Ph. by SAMANTHA KUGLER

VO I C E S & P L AC E S

10 things that never get old in florence

no matter how long you have lived here LINDSAY KEATON Whether you’re in town for the weekend, a few months, or for life, certain wonders about Florence never cease to amaze. You can go back over and over again and it will be just as great as the first time. Here is a list of some of those things, because no matter how long you’ve been here, they just never get old.

Ph. by JOHN GRELLA

PIAZZALE MICHELANGELO No matter how many times you’ve been there or brought friends visiting from out of town, that view can’t be beat. Complete with street musicians, gelato stands, and two landings to take it all in, Piazzale Michelangelo will remain a favorite in the hearts of all who visit.

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SEARCHING THROUGH THE VINTAGE STORES Florence is full of vintage stores and consignment shops that will continue to surprise you. Everything from high-end designer clothing and accessories, to the most intriguing and obscure pieces can be found in these shops. The best part is that the pieces are always changing. Each week you can discover something different. It’s like a treasure hunt, so start looking! Some personal favorites are Pitti Vintage, Boutique Nadine, Elio Ferraro, and of course, FLY Fashion Loves You!

Ph. by the author

DISCOVERING DIFFERENT ARTISANS AND HEARING THEM SPEAK ABOUT THEIR CRAFT As we all know, Florence is the heart of the Renaissance era and the flourishing art has not died down since. The city is full of unique and incredibly talented artists, ranging from the caricature illustrators sitting outside the Duomo, to the leather craftsmen hidden away in their little shops.

An example of this is the leather store, Taddei, a family-run business for three generations and counting, starting in 1937. Located on Via Santa Margherita, you can find Simone Taddei following in his father’s and grandfather’s footsteps—meticulously working with calfskin to create unique, solid leather boxes. While the boxes are flawless, hearing Simone speak about the process, demonstrate his techniques, and see his passion behind his craft adds significant value to the already impressive piece.

Ph. by ANNA LYNCH

SITTING ON THE WALLS ALONG THE ARNO Nothing beats this way to stop and appreciate the day. After all, you’re in Florence! Sitting on the wall of the Arno provides many things, such as a beautiful view, a little bit of sun, a relaxing break, and great people watching. Every so often, I’ll catch myself speed walking to my destination when there is no reason to rush at all. I have to remind myself to stop and be in the moment.

I suggest you try it! Take an easy stroll, park yourself on the wall, and see what you can observe about the rich city and its culture.

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Ph. by CARLEY POCCESCHI

PIAZZA DELLA REPUBBLICA Piazza Republica is a beautiful open area with a great location in between the Duomo and Ponte Vecchio. One of the most notable things about this piazza is the beautiful carousel situated in the center. It is a popular pastime for children and adults alike. What most don’t know however, is the history behind this very special carousel.

The carousel is an antique from the Picci family, dating back to the early 20th century and has since been restored.

Carlo Picci is part of the family’s fourth generation and currently runs the carousel with his children, the fifth generation, while the sixth generation Piccis play excitedly. The carousel has 20 horses for visitors to ride, two kings’ carriages to sit in, and features panels of paintings of different Italian cities:-Rome, Pisa, and Venice, just to name a few. It runs everyday November through May from 10am to about 8pm.

WINDOW-SHOPPING ON VIA TORNABUONI Via Tornabuoni is notorious as a hub for all high-end designers and brands to be located on. Each window display is exceptional, intriguing, and changes frequently. Get lost in the creativity and wonder that these stores portray. I especially love that so many different brands are all next to each other. One moment you’re looking at the classic blue displays in the Tiffany & Co window, then Emilio Pucci’s bright colors and loud prints grab your attention across the way. Trust me, it’s never boring!

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VO I C E S & P L AC E S

BOBOLI GARDENS A gorgeous view, sun-soaked physical activity, and lush greenery can all be experienced at the Boboli Gardens. The sprawling grounds can be explored and discovered for hours on end. There are beautiful botanical gardens, fountains, and winding pathways with vibrant flowers, soft grass, and impressive shrubbery. It is the perfect place for a hike or an afternoon nap in the shade.

Pack a picnic, bring a ball to throw around, and make a day out of it.

Ph. by ELLIE BAER

ESCAPING TO A WINERY FOR A FEW HOURS In the heart of Tuscany, Florence is at no loss for quality vineyards. The best wineries are the family-run ones that have been around for generations. Castello di Verrazzano is a prime example. Dating back to the 14th century, this vineyard has been passed down through families and generations, starting from Giovanni da Verrazzano. He was a famous navigator and pioneer and even has a bridge named after him in New York. Today, the winery is run by the Cappellini family with the mission to “produce quality wines thereby evoking the harmony of Chianti Classico with its stories and tastes, involving the magic of Verrazzano with passion and friendly availability, building a sense of excellence made of uniqueness and a bit of mystery.” Make sure to escape outside the city every so often to not only treat yourself, but to immerse yourself in the incredible artisanship it takes to create wine. Want a taste of Verrazzano in the city? Check out the Cantinetta in Via dei Tavolini 18 for some of Florence’s best baked goods and light meals/snacks.

A TRIP TO FLORENTINE MARKETS Whether it is for lunch or grocery shopping, Mercato Centrale of San Lorenzo is a bustling and lively place to be in Florence. Each stand has something new; fresh produce, meats, cheese, oils, and more are filling the air with rich aromas. It is a place packed with incredible amounts of culture and things to discover. Then, wander upstairs to a plethora of delicious cooked-to-order meals from various stands and vendors. Enjoy lunch or catch a dinner upstairs, as it is open from 8pm-midnight. The Sant’Ambrogio market is similar and a favorite of many Florentine locals. Come experience the beautiful weather and indulge in the fresh goods sold by local farmers. There is no better way to knock out that grocery list!

Ph. by the author

SITTING IN A CAFÉ WHILE ENJOYING A CAPPUCCINO What could be more Italian than sitting down at a cool café to simply enjoy a cappuccino? Take the time to indulge in the Italian daily practice and treat yourself to a coffee break. For a glamorous take on the Italian coffee break, try Caffè Gilli Pasticceria. Opened in 1733, Caffè Gilli is one of the oldest and most culturally rich cafes in Florence. It was a favorite meeting spot of artists like Polloni, Pozzi, Ferroni, Doni, Calignani, and Pucci. Betsey Johnson and Valentino Garavani were recently seen enjoying the cafe themselves!

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DREW MANCINI

TRAVELLING GRATITUDE Iphoneography student Drew Mancini visited various European cities with a speciďŹ c scope in mind: creatively use digital media to give back to the individuals who made his study abroad journey possible. From his starting point in Florence, he recounts an act of appreciation that spreads in endless volumes through major European capitals.

The power of gratitude is a life-changing entity. Studying abroad and traveling through Europe has been the best experience of my life. I am thankful for my parents, who supported me and made this dream come true.

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renaissance swag

Photo courtesy of the authors

ALEXANDRA AND KATERINA MIRAS

Alexandra and Katerina met while rooming together at FUA in the Spring of 2012 and have since launched their blog Renaissance Swag in hopes to educate young women on how to live more authentically, challenge societal and cultural norms, and embody a deeper sense of purpose.

T

wo friends, one idea, and a company in the making three years later all possible because of one place - Firenze. On January 25th, 2012, Alexandra Santiago and I (Katerina Miras) boarded Swiss Air with no expectations of what could possibly happen in the next four months. Our suitcases stuffed to the brim, but our hearts open to all possibilities. It just so happened that we were seated exactly in front of one another on the plane, giving us the opportunity to get acquainted with the one another.

As soon as we landed, we were each handed a piece of paper that united us in that moment (and maybe our curly locks of hair too).

Written on it was our address: Via della Stufa, 9. In the beginning, the soles of our leather shoes met with the wobbly cobblestones with uncertainty and instability. We were in a new country, new home, and around new people, we didn’t know the language, and we didn’t know what to expect, but the stability came in connecting, with our peers and one another, and embracing the Italian culture.

It was from the simplicity of the Italian lifestyle that we developed our own understanding of the human body, mind, and soul.

We came out feeling a bit different than we did going in. Maybe it was the beautiful architecture and art, maybe the charm and allure of Florence itself, the gildings and the embellishments, but we both can agree that while all the splendor of Florence was magical, the true charm was in the simplicity of living.

The complexity of the city however is in the structure of buildings, the layout, the irrigation systems, the Ponte Vecchio - all of which are mathematically designed. The city itself is based on mathematics, based on volume, but the spirit of the city can never be defined. In a way, this mathematical foundation is what allows the spirit to flow through the city streets. One softly smirks at the juxtaposition realizing that the premise behind volume is certainly available to Florence as a city - buildings, layout, irrigation, sculpture, piazzas, churches - but the experience itself is unparalleled by anything, something that a mathematical equation cannot define.

No one can come up with a formula on how to experience Florence.

For us, the formula is still being tested because we’re still living by the voluminous teachings that we learned while living in Florence.

The volume is ever-growing. It is not just contained to one memory or a few memories, but rather the entire experience of Florence for us lives on in other dimensions...

Case in point Renaissance Swag. It was during one of our latenight philosophical talks on the steps of the Duomo in Florence that we came to understand how precious yet simple life really is when we both shared our personal experiences that almost lead us

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to death. You would think it’s this part that would ignite us to do something with our life, dream higher, create more, make us more enlightened - and maybe it is always in the back of our heads as a driving force - but the truth is what really gives us fire in the belly is the living part, and Florence exemplifies the vivaciousness of life.

We may have almost physically died, but we’ve found a trend of people who feel dead inside on more accounts than none, us included at times.

Our bildungsroman - our journey - encourages us to bring ideas and feelings and creations alive. This all wouldn’t have existed if we both weren’t roommates in Florence and if we didn’t allow ourselves to surrender to the volume that is flowing through the cobblestone streets of Florence. We wouldn’t be here today thinking of ways to help people strive to become better versions of themselves and their highest potential. In the city of Florence, we realized, in hindsight, we became better versions of ourselves and raised our own standards.

This is when our blog Renaissance Swag was born, and today, we are actively trying to take part in workshops and talks to educate young women about living authentically, challenge modern cultural expectations and help women of today embody a deeper sense of purpose.

How can one not think of Renaissance when trudging through the narrow streets, breathtaking views and iconic architecture of Firenze? When you think of a Renaissance man or woman, you think of a jack of all trades - philosopher, scientist, artist, innovator, engineer, writer, the list goes on and on. The term “Renaissance Man” is all encompassing, bound to no limits and speaks to mastery. While we found the concept inspiring, we realized that women did not have a true place of power during the time period. Yes, women were known for their eloquence, grace, style, charm, and poise but what about the wild spirit and passion we crave today? That’s where the swag comes in. And by swag, we aren’t referring to Jay-Z. We mean confidence, boldness, freedom and expression. So, by saying one embraces “Renaissance Swag” what we mean is that person embodies that best of yesterday and today. Our mission is to inspire and be inspired, to embrace confidence and have the courage to live our highest truth. We are Renaissance Women with 21st Century Swag.

Grazie mille, Firenze!

With sass and class, Alexandra & Katerina

Florence University of the Arts

encourages students

to keep

a MIND & BODY

balance.

LA PALESTRA OFFERS FREE CLASSES WITH GYM EQUIPMENT/MACHINES FOR STUDENTS

LA PALESTRA - FUA Corso Tintori 21 - FLORENCE contact sld@fua.it

VOLUME 1 a: a series of printed sheets bound typically in book form. b: a series of issues of a periodical. c: album.

2 scroll.

3 the amount of space occupied by a three-dimensional object as measured in cubic units (as quarts or liters).

4 a: amount; also: bulk, mass: a considerable quantity. b: the amount of a substance occupying a particular volume. c: mass or the representation of mass in art or architecture.

5 the degree of loudness or the intensity of a sound; also: loudness.

Ph. by CARLY SIMEONE

[Merriam-Webster English Dictionary]