Research Project

Survival of Contemporary Art In Italy: Youth Activism

Can Art change Italy?

“The ancientness of Rome makes it harder to understand and accept contemporary art”.

- Shara Wasserman

Over the course of these ten weeks we as a class have acquired the information on many issues that relate to our program’s theme, Youth Culture/ Contemporary Youth: The Making of a New Italy.  The program’s description mentions, “creating a "new Italy", and youth culture interpreting traditional Italian institutions through a uniquely diverse and dynamic lens” (Villegas &Varghese). My research project investigates if and how contemporary art fits into that lens and how might it be affected by youth.

In a time when the country of Italy is struggling, there is a lack of acceptance and funding for contemporary art and youth, because of these issues the culture is being threatened.  There are many reasons for this, “Italy has the second lowest birth rate in Europe and the West” (Global Agenda Magazine), therefore the majority of the population is over the age of 65, and this causes difficulty for youth to find jobs. The author from the novel, Clash of Civilizations Over an Elevator in Piazza Vittorio, Amara Lakhous states, “Italy is not a country for youth, it is a shame to be young, while youth is creative, older generations do not want to see change”, this approach can not only be seen with youth but with contemporary art. Because of this, the youth population is leaving Italy in order to find jobs and is restricted from expressing their creativity, which in turn jeopardizes the economy and culture. With the poor economy, there is decline in funding for Italy’s culture: this includes the preservation of historical landmarks, art, and inevitably less funding for contemporary art. While the people of Italy are struggling with these issues, their approach to contemporary art and youth continues to be negative. However I propose that adherence of contemporary art in this culture and understanding of past historical art could create a new Italy.

Italy’s negative association to contemporary art can be blamed on Italy’s fixation with its’ ancient art and preservation. A UNESCO study placed 40% of the art in the world in Italy (E.N.I.T. North America). Italy’s own obsession with its’ art and ancient sites come from a long-standing and deserved reputation of early historical structures and artworks that are well known throughout the world.  Italy’s history of art began with the Prehistoric Civilizations, Etruscans, the Roman Period, Romanesque 11^th to 12^th centuries, Gothic, and the Renaissance. Mannerism followed the Renaissance, along with Baroque in the 17^th to 18^th century, and finally the Neo-Classicism and Romanticism which was the 18^th to 20 century. Interestingly enough all successors of each era were all adaptations of the art style from the past. As almost half of the world’s art is in Italy and has come from or is currently located in this country, there are unspoken expectations set for future artists that are unrealistic. When asked why this is an issue, Shara Wasserman, director of Art History at Temple University, stated “to grow up in such a historically famous art setting, it is difficult for artists to believe they are good enough to do art”.  As Italy has become a country dedicated to the preservation and restoration of its historical art collections, it has become affixed by this desire to protect its possessions and hold on to the past and not welcome the future.

The acceptance of Contemporary art and youth in this country is crucial for its’ future.   This acceptance could be the beginning of a new era of art, similarly to the origin of “contemporary” which is related to the destruction of the Berlin Wall.  This act was the elimination of the physical and metaphorical division between eastern and western Europe in 1989 and end of communism.  After the destruction of the wall, the question for artists, German, Jewish, and American alike was how to redefine modern art after the Nazis had destroyed much of it. Pablo Picasso began the modern era in 1907 followed by the Dada movement.  After Dadaism, Expressionism, and Cubism, surrealism became popular, and era of the “iron curtain”, Abstract Expression and Pop Art was introduced by the renowned Andy Warhol.  Consequently the era of “contemporary art” stems from the renovation of modern art and these “postmodern” eras following art’s former fascist past. In Wasserman’s words, “contemporary art is the present, past, and most importantly the future”.  The Contemporary idea and youth are the essential reasons why the destruction of the Berlin wall occurred.  If this vision was applied to Italy, it could be the creation of a new Italian identity.

Contemporary art can be a course of action for the survival and future of the Italian culture.  There are many reasons why the public rejects contemporary art.  Two of the key reasons Italy has a problem with this era of art is the funding and the negative outlook on youth and contemporary art.  However contemporary art can be used as a tool of education and expression in order to save Italy’s culture.  There are multiple expenses for the contemporary art, the instillation, storage, and the preservation.  Many contemporary artworks are site-specific pieces; therefore having to install the piece to fit to the gallery space they have been presented.  When purchasing the work of a contemporary artist, for example Christiane Lohr who uses various twigs, miniature flowers, seeds, and horsehair, an investor would have to consider the instillation.  For Lohr’s piece using horsehair she installs the hair from the ceiling to the floor.  Because of this process, the instillation for Lohr’s artwork is expensive.  An additional example of the expenses for contemporary art is artwork produced by Daniel Hirst.  His piece titled For The Love of God in 2007 is said to possess roughly 8,000 genuine diamonds to a cast of a human skull (Wasserman).  Although there are artists who’s expenses are atrocious, the costs are minuscule to the amount of money Italy has put into the restoration and preservation of its historical landmarks and art. 

The restoration of Italy’s renowned art and ancient sites such as the pantheon, Michael Angelo’s statue of David, and the Colosseum has and will continue to cost this country billions and billions of dollars. The Colosseum is currently in need of a renovation and the Italian government has asked private investors for funds and has received an offer of 25 million from an international shoe company Tod’s (Angelini).  However this historical landmark will need to be continually preserved and restored which will never cease to cost anything less than that amount.  Consequently the expenses of contemporary art and housing for the art such as MACRO are miniscule when comparing the two.  The costs to run MACRO are around 8 million a year, however as the numbers show, this is a diminutive amount contrasted from 25 million.

The MACRO and MAXXI museums are used to educate the public about contemporary art.  These places are the only contemporary art museums in Rome.  The museums educate the public through wall texts, available in Italian and English, permanent and temporary exhibits, and through this they continue to be connected with a global universal system.  When asked how museums and galleries can support contemporary art and youth, Mirela Pribac, a local artist in Rome, stated they “represent a means for promoting contemporary artists, for assuring some of them a living. In the case of commercial galleries that promote art worth promoting, there are either some very serious money/strategy/economic games supporting them (that purely pertain to the world of business and not of the romance of art) or, more and more rarely, there are some figures, such as curators and critics who objectively write about important trends and artworks presented”.   Unfortunately the income of an artist varies throughout the production and presentation of their work.  If more funding was provided for such artists, the issues Pribac mentioned would be reduced. 

There have been many complaints about the recently constructed controversial museum, MAXXI.   However MAXXI “jolts this city back to the present like a thunderclap. Its sensual lines seem to draw the energy of the city right up into its belly, making everything around it look timid” (Ouroussoff).   In the end the contemporary art museums are the key to educating not only the immediate locale but also youth in order to create new eras of art and the possibility of expression.

Unfortunately there are negative stereotypes that are paired with the expression of contemporary art and youth such as graffiti artists committing vandalism and contemporary art not actually being art.  However these clichés are a result of unfamiliarity and understanding. Youth today has found different ways in which to express themselves.  Street art and contemporary art will ultimately be the new genre and future of art, as we know it.  These acts of expression through all styles of contemporary art and street art are causing a movement among young people to act on the issues the world is faced with today. In an interview with Mirela Pribac she stated, “although this is a paradoxical and debated issue in and of itself, since street art is fully and intrinsically legitimized through its free existence in the public sphere, free of any constraints of the art market or other governing forces. In the end, the key to the vast issue is to be found in the discussion about the institutional theory of art”.  This idea of “free existence in the public sphere” is how the youth can demonstrate these issues.

Although there are young graffiti artists that currently that tag, that vandalize, the contrasting artists also exist.  Blu, Bansky, JR, and Bol, each one of these graffiti street artists has created a positive image for themselves and has touched their society, country, or culture by their artwork (Lasciailsegno).  Blu is known to produce grand scale art that represents his opinion of communism and materialism, Bansky uses the street and building walls to make lifelike sketches that tell a story or send a message of world peace and acceptance, JR a widely known French artist for attempting to break borders has confronted the Iranian and Somalian issue through posting immense posters of Iranian and Somalian faces directly next to each other. Sadly enough the majority of the population has a difficult time understanding contemporary art because they lack the imagination and patience of conceptual art which revolves around the “idea” of the art rather than what the art is physically.  Contemporary art is about “how” the art was produced, rather than “what” was produced.

While speaking at a conference about changing the world, the graffiti artist JR declares that, “Art is supposed to change perceptions.  Art can change the way we see the world. Art cannot change things, it makes it a neutral place for exchanges and descriptions and then enables it to change the world” (JR). This idea of “art changing the world” initially generated my research project and the question of contemporary art and youth changing Italy.  With the understanding of ancient art in Italy and tolerance with this “new” era, contemporary art lead by the youth, can find a way to survive in this country. New York Times Reporter, Nicolai Ouroussoff, in his article Modern Lines for the Eternal City stated, “Cities thrive when each generation attempts to rise to the challenges of the past while remaining true to contemporary values”.  It is this idea that concludes my findings on this subject.  The limitations I encountered with my research were the lack of studies being produced analyzing how contemporary art fits in to Italian society and unavailability of interviewees.  Considering the duration of contemporary art, ten years behind and ahead, I can conclude this project could be thoroughly executed in a span of ten years.  Because of this length of time, contemporary artists and youth must patiently wait to be accepted in a society that is restrained by its historical stature.   By accepting this idea of change Italy’s economy, youth, and culture could prosper, ultimately leading to the survival of Contemporary Art and youth. 

Works Cited

Wasserman, Shara. "Interview on Contemporary Art." Personal interview. 3 Mar. 2011.

Varghese, Manka, and Julie Villegas. Youth Culture/Contemporary Youth: The Making of       a New Italy. Web. 7 Mar. 2011. <http://uwhonorswinterrome2011.blogspot.com/>.

Glo-con. "Low Birth Rates in Italy Liguria." International Real Estate Listings - Real Estate for Sale and Rentals. Web. 7 Mar. 2011. <http://www.glo-con.com/article/article_no/1383/>.

Lakhous, Amara. "Amara Lakhous Speaking about Clash of Civilizations Over an Elevator in Piazza Vittorio." University of Washington, Rome Center. 17 Feb. 2011. Lecture.

"ITALIA - Art Periods in Italy." ITALY - Tourism in Italy, Travel Tips, Information, Italian Regions. Web. 11 Mar. 2011. <http://www.italiantourism.com/art_italy.html>.

Angelini, Francesca. "Tod’s to Give Colosseum a Makeover." The Source. Wall Street Journal. Web. 5 Mar. 2011. <http://blogs.wsj.com/source/2010/12/06/tods-to-give-colosseum-a-fashion-makeover/>.

Pribac, Mirela. "Local Artist In Rome." E-mail interview. 2 Mar. 2011.

OUROUSSOFF, NICOLAI. "Modern Lines for the Eternal City." The New York Times. 11 Nov. 2009. Web. 1 Mar. 2011. <http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/12/arts/design/12zaha.html>.

"Lasciailsegno." Lasciailsegno. Museo Virtuale Dell'effimero, 6 Apr. 2007. Web. 27 Feb. 2011. <www.lasciailsegno.it>.

JR. "JR's TED Prize Wish: Use Art to Turn the World inside out." Speech. Ted Conference LLC, Mar. 2011. Web. 3 Mar. 2011. <http://www.ted.com/talks/jr_s_ted_prize_wish_use_art_to_turn_the_world_inside_out.html>. 

Artist Statement

I have always loved to people watch. To wonder who people are, where they are going, what role they fill in this world.  Throughout my stay here in Italy, I have been watching Rome.  I have been soaking in every move it makes, the people walking by, the architecture presented throughout the streets, and its overall beauty.  My graffiti piece is what I have been seeing here in Rome, the ancient-ness, the people devoted to their religion, the church, the cuisine, and the fast-paced life style.  In one moment everything could change, the fear of pick-pocketing on every bus, the fear of strange man cornering you in an alley, and the fear of getting lost.  I have seen and felt all of these things while being here and this is what I have represented in my piece of art.

Assignment #8

1. Again, tell us about your site. What is the mission and philosophy of it? What are its main activities?

2. To what extend have your initial impressions of the site changed and/or remained the same? Consider how your frames of reference has shifted since you began your service work. 

3. What information about the site would you still like to gather, and how would you go about learning it (who would you talk to, where would you go, what types of questions would you ask?)

When Julie originally mentioned the possibility of working with an art organization as an internship, I could not imagine the opportunity that I was going to receive.  Art has always been a passion of mine, and to have the chance to work first hand with artists was not what I was expecting.  My service-learning site was working with Artists from GIGA, which stands for Giovanni Italiano Groupo Artisti. 

Natalie, Manka, and I met with Matteo Peretti and he instantly welcomed us into his studio.  Matteo is a contemporary artist who was born and raised in Rome.  Once he was 19 he moved to Ohio to obtain his Bachelor’s degree in visual arts.  He then moved to London where he went to school to obtain a Fine Art M.A. and in 1995 he founded GIGA, “an exhibition space where shows and events are held, which enrich the contemporary art world, a liberal environment where influential artists and critics collaborate”.  The studio is located near Piazzo Navona and is across the street from Matteo’s collegue and girlfriend’s studio, Adina Drinceanu.  Adina was born in 1980 in Romania and studied at The Accademia di Belle Arti Pietro Vannucci. 

 

Both artists vary in styles greatly.  Matteo works generally with old and small toys using them as a collage to create a larger image.  He uses his childhood memories to inspire his pieces and generally uses matte colors to spray paint the artwork.  Adina typically uses pencil to draw living people in everyday life.  Her current collaboration of artwork is about a group of young adolescents that are victimized in society because of their status of “emo”.  Not all of her subjects for her artwork are emo but are alienated because of their dress and lifestyles.  Adina generally portrays these people in gray, white, and black on a canvas and then paints colorful floral backgrounds that pop from the canvas. 

At the beginning of service learning Natalie and I were working with Matteo and assisting him with some of his pieces that consisted of foam.  The majority of the time we would pick at the foam and until the surface had a mountainous texture.  He would then take the newly formed foam and cut footprints and eventually add miniature “FBI” figurines to the foam and the result was imaginative and unique. 

After working with Matteo for half of the duration of the service learning we began working with Adina.  It was very exciting to begin working with Adina considering the work we had been helping with had become repetitive.  Working with Adina opened some doors to ideas that I had never thought of before.  Adina wants her art to inspire young people to not feel alienated in a not so welcoming world.  Not only was it enlightening to hear her opinion on immigration, as she is from Romania, but it was wonderful to make connections and through her meet other artists to stay in touch with.  Consequently she has also been a very helpful resource for my research project: Contemporary Art in Italy. 

My frame of reference has not changed but grown.  Working with these artists has opened my mind to see art differently and to see the world of art differently.  With this opportunity I have been forced to ask more and more questions about contemporary art and how it survive in an ancient art world. It makes me wonder how artists grow with time and how they create new art that younger generations can relate to.  With only Natalie and I attending the GIGA service learning we fortunately have had the opportunity to get to know Matteo and Adina well.  I feel we will be in contact in the future, we have told Adina if she comes to the states she should get in touch with us.  She has also promised to send Natalie and I her final product of a piece we have been helping her with.  Overall this opportunity has been absolutely amazing and I feel grateful for the chance to learn, grow as a student, and connect with people I would usually have the possibility to.

Rione Reflection

The neighborhood of Sant’ Estachio is named after the beloved Saint Eustace and the church that was dedicated to him.  The church is located in the center of the neighborhood.   The church’s medieval name is Regio Sancti Eustachii et Vinee Tedemarii.

The history behind the coat of arms is very interesting, it shows Saint Eustachius standing between the horns of a stag.  The history involves a soldier named Placidus hunting for a stag, once he saw one her aimed his bow and arrow, however when he did this, a bright cross appeared between his horns.  Once this happened the soldier and his family decided to become Christians.  He eventually changed his name to Eustachius, but he unfortunately was incarcerated and martyred. 

Walking through the neighborhood you notice clothing shops and small shops that fix wooden chairs and tables.  It is a quant neighborhood filled with families and small businesses.   The neighborhood is a long and thin area, bordering the famous historical landmarks including the Pantheon, Piazza Navona, and Sant'Andrea della Valle.  In the past the rione inclosed many important public buildings, however none of them have survived.  Just like some areas of Rome, the entire district was forced to be rebuilt in the Middle Ages.  Since then it has been known to be a family neighborhood for lower and middle class families.  Today it seems to be a higher –end neighborhood.  

The center of the rione is the square, St. Eustachius, which is where the church stands.  Consequently the spot where the church was constructed is said to be where the soldier (Placidus or Eustachius) was martyred.  The church’s interior is beautiful, it’s a smaller church than many I have seen in Rome and a little run down, but its intricate chapels are beautifully constructed.  To add to its grandeur a magnificent organ was being played as we entered.  Included in the square is the café St. Eustachio Il Cafe is built.  Considering Romans’ love for café, all romans and visters alike should try this café.  Sant’Eustachio Il Cafe is known as one of the best places to get coffee in Rome. The café was packed of locals, tourists, businessmen, and youth.  All mixed into one small café to get “the best coffee”.   Brittany and I have now had the best and strongest coffee in Rome, and soon the entire class will be able to sample this exquisite café at our rione tour. 

While the neighborhood borders major historical landmarks, it cuts an important piazza in half, Piazza della Rotonda, the northern part of the piazza, which is the area that belongs to the rione, has a beautiful fountain and Egyptian obelisk.  It is said that the obelisk was first in the church of San Macuto and is originally from the Temple of Isis.  Just like the square of St. Eustachio, the piazza della Rotonda is filled with cafes, bars, and once had been backed with taverns and inns which in the opinion of a Roman is absurd.  Because of these businesses in the piazza, in 1822 “pope Pius VI had them demolished, restoring the original beauty of the site, as remembered by a large plaque in Latin, which reads as follows:

POPE PIUS VII IN THE 23^RD YEAR OF HIS REIGN

RECLAIMED FROM THE DISLIKED UGLINESS

THE AREA IN FRONT OF M. AGRIPPA'S PANTHEON

OCCUPIED BY DISGRACEFUL TAVERNS

BY MEANS OF A MOST WISE DEMOLITION

AND ORDERED TO LEAVE THE VIEW FREE IN A OPEN PLACE

            The neighborhood once had Rome’s first University in the 1400’s called La Sapienza (the Knowledge).  Which is no longer there because it was moved once there too many students attending.  The university was moved to a more central position on the outskirts of Rome.  A church stands where the university once was houses Rome’s most beautiful lanterns, “Sant'Ivo, one of Borromini's masterpieces, is famous for having the most elegant lantern among the city's churches: a fantastic Baroque creation whose top part ends with a very ornate spiral, towering over the whole district, and visible from the surrounding streets”.   Like the majority of Rome, the neighborhood consists of multiple churches.  The architects and artists involved in creating these basilicas are historically famous. 

            Interestingly enough one of the churches includes, Sant'Andrea della Valle, which has the second largest dome when compared to St. Peter’s, and is located very near to the Campo di Fiori.  On the left side of the church is one of Rome’s talking statues named the Abbot Louis. Since the early 16^th century talking statues would have posters attached to them sometime during the night.  Because the pope had an “iron fist” and those in power would sometimes need to be reminded of their duty, “these statues are the means by which Rome has always opposed arrogance and corruption of the ruling class with great sense of humour”.  These posters would have poems, stories, jokes, and even messages directly to the pope.  As the times have changed, silence has come over Rome’s talking statues, except for one named Pasquino which is located in a small square at the back of Piazza Navona.  Lets go see what he has to say!!

Assignment #7

Consider the questions with which we started the course:

•                What defines youth culture in Rome. How is youth culture reflected in the larger Italian identity and how are identities shifting (individual, nation, state, EU)

•                Where are the covert and overt borders in Rome? (Physical, psychological, cultural, and national borders)

•                How is "insider" or "outsider" status determined?

•                Borders are at the same time becoming more rigid and also more fluid. What are the dynamics behind this and how is this fluidity and ambiguity expressed.

Italian identity is indescribable. To the outside world, Italians are Caucasian, dark haired, people with fast cars, and the most delicious food and wine you could ever taste.  To the Italian, Italians are brought up with respect, respect for elders, for history, for intelligence, they are prideful of their country and many feel as if Italy is only for the “pure Italians”.  To the immigrants residing in Italy, Italians portray exactly what they want, they own homes, have jobs, food on the table for their children, they want what they have, yet the possibility of attaining these things is minuscule. “When one walks through Italian streets there is a feeling of being a minority, of insecurity. There is a delicate, difficult, and at times hostile relationship with one’s surroundings. Here, (in New York City) at least in appearance, I have not had this feeling. I immediately felt equal.” – Amara Lakhous’s observation on the differences between walking the streets of Italy and the streets of New York City in his interview with i-Italy. 

The issue of “borders” is seen in many countries today.  It is exemplified in the United States by the border patrol concerning Mexican immigrants, it can be seen between North and South Korea, and it can most certainly be seen in the country of Italy with identity borders.  Some of the largest and most concrete borders that affect identity and the people in Italy are the government, language, and education.

There are endless “borders” for people in this country; the government is one of them.  In the eyes of many Italians and the Italian government, an Italian citizen is someone who has Italian- born parents, who looks Italian, who shares the same backgrounds as most Italians do, and who speaks Italian. Unfortunately these stereotypical ideas of “an Italian” do not correlate with many Italian citizens.  For example, the speakers from the G2 Organization, one had been born in Italy and had lived in Italy his entire life.  However, from the time he was born until the age of 18 he was literally “invincible ” considering his citizenship and as soon as he became 18 he was considered an immigrant, as if he had just sailed to this country yesterday.  Fortunately he was able to obtain his citizenship, but many people with similar circumstances do not have such luck.  

Language is another one of these unpropitious borders keeping non-citizen and immigrants alike from becoming citizens and creating a life in Italy that some have been forced to do.  Amara Lakhous explains beautifully how powerful language is, “To quote an expression: tell me how you speak and I will tell you who you are. The ability to communicate offers status. It is not a tool in the same way eyeglasses are; it is a way of seeing”.  Like many of the people who reside in Italy today who have memories and their own cultures in their homeland, a language barrier restricts many.  Throughout the program we have met refugees and immigrants throughout guest speakers lectures and service learning opportunities.  At the refugee center we were teaching a group of the refugees English, a man was asked what he wanted to learn. He said, “I want to learn English, it’s the gateway language to a future”.  Unfortunately the possibilities for refugees to learn English, let alone Italian are not great.  And yet those opportunities are in now way growing for adult immigrants and children alike, in the article Children Crossing Borders the author mentioned, “ approximately 25% of children in a typical municipal preschool are likely to come from im/migrant families that speak a language other than Italian at home”.  The article continued to say how frustrated many teachers are with this issue considering the demanding difficulty that is bestowed on them when taking children with “incapabilities” such as a language barrier. At the moment, “the primary challenge presented by these incoming students is language-related: Italian as a second language was never part of teaching or training, nor were there any IL2 textbooks or guidebooks” (Current Research Into Education and Schooling in Italy).  So while these children work harder to learn a language they have no background in, they fall behind, and eventually get placed in lower and lower level classes until they forced to accept their first “barrier” on a list of many.

There are not only towering barriers for immigrant children and children of refugees in Italy, but there is a constant struggle with youth and education in general.  In the words of our guest speaker Shara Wasserman, “ Italy is Europe’s oldest country” and not in the terms of the country, but the people.  In Italy the age range considering “youth” is 15- 34, and 1 in every 5 people are over 65.  While the population of youth is dwindling, nothing is being done to reverse this.  Although there are opportunities for youth and students to go to college, the drop out rate is 55%. Youth is not respected in Italy and in the eyes of the older population they are seen as immature.  Many young people eventually leave Italy for new and more prosperous opportunities.   As Shara Wasserman mentioned in class, more high school graduates acquire jobs than college graduates do.  Consequently, there are endless opportunities to go to college for Italian citizens, however the real question is will they find job afterwards?   

Although these barriers are apparent in Italian society, very little is being done to approve these conditions.  The government has only become more disciplined with immigrants and refugees.  From our service learning experience we had the chance to meet a man at the refugee center.  He mentioned “it is impossible to do anything in Italy without the language”.   Unfortunately there are little opportunities to become better educated in the Italian language for refugees and immigrants other than learning from conversing on the streets.  So while the immigrant community struggles, like they do in most countries, so does Italy’s youth.  From this experience with the Italian culture, as an American, Italy is a beautiful country, the culture is intricate, and it’s ambiguity confuses me.  I have had good and bad experiences here, and would say it’s an experience not to miss, however just like many things; there is always a message behind what the eyes are capable of seeing.  For example, the graffiti we see on the walls of streets, to some it could be vandalism however it could be a message through street art: debates against Berlusconi, art relating different cultures through images, or even powerful messages inspiring the youth.  

Assignment #6

 Review the Rione assignment guidelines.  Interview a few residents in your Rione. You must interview at least one resident of the rione and one visitor to the rione (you may interview more than two).  Through both your lens and your interviewees’ lens, write about what you have learned so far about your Rione; write your initial observations. You may use the Rione guidelines to help you structure this writing assignment. More detailed guidelines on interview questions will be discussed in class. 

For now things to consider:
-For this assignment, you need only focus on one street, or even one street corner, of your Rione.
-As you get to know your neighborhood and its community, utilize and weave in your insights gained from the program thus far. See your Rione as a text and, like a text, engage it, and insert yourself into the pages of the neighborhood. Think about what you don't understand as you go out and observe, engage, and interact with your Rione. Be humble and let the place and people, sounds and rhythms of the area, tell you its story. Listen, look, and be open to discovery, and to the unpredictable and predictable reactions that the neighborhood evokes. 

The rione of Sant’Eustachio is a very small neighborhood nestled between two beautiful famous landmarks the Pantheon and Piazza Navona.  The neighborhood was named after the Saint St. Eustachius.  The crest of Sant’ Eustachio is the saint between the horns of a deer.  The story behind the crest is the soldier, Placidus from the 2^nd century, was hunting and saw a deer.  However, when he went to kill the deer a cross appeared between his horns.  After seeing this he decided to convert to Christianity and his family soon followed. Placidus then changed his name to Eustachius.  “But following his conversion they were persecuted, imprisoned and in the end they faced martyrdom.  In older versions of this coat of arms, a cross appears between the animal's horns, in place of the saint”.  

       When Brittany and I walked to Sant’Eustachio we were excited to go to the whats said to be the best coffee place in Rome.   Sant’ Eustachio Il Café was packed of locals, tourists, businessmen, and youth.  All mixed into one small café to get “the best coffee”.  We can now say that we’ve had the best and strongest coffee in Rome.   After our cappuccinos we walked across the street to the church.  As we walked in the organ was being played and the church had only a few people in it. But it was a beautiful church and wonderfully serene. 

Brittany and I started with asking a children’s clothing clerk if she lived in Sant’Eustachio, with a confused look she said no.  We asked her how she felt about the neighborhood and if she liked it.  She commented that it was a nice neighborhood but she couldn’t really say anything else about it.  She said it was just “okay”.  We then went to ask the man working at the magazine stand down the street.  After asking him if he spoke any English, he smirked and said he spoke a little. We asked him if he lived in the area and he said yes and he thought that the neighborhood had nothing that great to offer except a way to see the magnificent Pantheon.  He said that’s the only thing great about the area.  After this we decided to go into cute clothing store and asked a young woman what she felt about the neighborhood.  She replied, “its an okay neighborhood, there is nothing special about the area, except that its cute”.  For our visitors we stopped and talked to a couple on the street near the café.  After we explained our assignment to the couple and said we were American students from the University of Washington, the couple mentioned they were from England, and they were on their way to the Pantheon.  We asked them about the neighborhood, and they had no idea what area they were in and did not know any of its history. 

As a result of this activity and hearing what the local people have to say, I have learned that the Rione of Sant’Eustachio really doesn’t have all that much to offer.  However, the neighborhood is cute, has a beautiful quant church, and if you want a cappuccino from the best café in Rome, Sant’Eustachio is the place you need to stroll through.  

Reflection and response to Multicultural Literature in Contemporary Literature

I felt as if the author dived into the introduction a little too quickly, I had no idea where she was coming from at first and did not know the people she was talking about.  At the very beginning of the introduction the authors wrote the quote, "Every day we have to leave the homeland of our certainties".  In a way this a smart way to look at life and studying abroad.  I have found that once you step out of your door into the world, in this case Rome, you must go outside your boundaries in order to experience everything to the fullest. To see Rome as it wants you to see her.  In the book a Clash of Civilization Over and Elevator in Piazza Navona, Amara Lakhous says that he wishes to see Rome completely, he doesn't like the hustle and bustle of traffic, he steers away from busses and taxis.  He wishes to explore all of the corners of Rome, to drink from all of its fountains, and get to know the city.  I loved this idea of getting to know Rome and truly wish to explore the city this way.

I enjoyed the chapter on "Salvation", even though it was depressing to read. I found the chapter interesting in that the reader could almost imagine for example an immigrant or even an Italian muslim that attends the mosque in Rome, this is how they could interpret their everyday life. Their trials and tribulations.  It is difficult for cultures to mesh when they are so far apart in beliefs, however in many ways, religion and culture can intertwine and become an enriched culture by giving into accepting those that are different from you. I enjoyed this chapter very much, it leaves you wanting to read more.

Assignment #5

"The most loathsome nest of human caterpillars I was ever forced to stay in--a hell with all the devils imbecile in it." 
-John Ruskin

"...it reveals itself only to the simpatici." -Peter Gunn

"Like the twin masks of tragedy and comedy, Naples constantly shifts between splendour and misery, beauty and squalor" (2) In the Shadow of Vesuvi

What about fear? What is it that you feared about your visit to Naples and entering into the unknown. Has the fear melted away now that you've seen so many aspects of the city, now that you have met the people of Naples? 

Every single person on the earth fears something. That fear can be many different things.  Fear can keep someone safe by being aware but it can also consume his or her everyday life. One could use the word fear to describe what feeds the city of Naples. There is the known fear of being mugged, the fear of suffering from poverty, and the lingering danger of an active volcano, Mt. Vesuvius. Travelling to Naples was one of the most impacting and possibly restricting experiences I have had. “In Italy, the discourse on drugs and prostitution… seen as Southern Italian problems,” begin with the gateway city of the south, Naples.   Unfortunately the South has many negative stereotypes that hinder any positive opinions Northern Italians may have of the South. 

The following quote describes accurately the picture that my peers and I saw when entering the city of Naples; “The Neapolitans endure a type of depressing poverty quite different from that in Calabria.  You notice as you arrive at the railway station: the outstretched hands of the beggars in the former capital of the southern kingdom” (Naples Reading).  Prior to Naples, I read the required articles that described the city realistically.  However by only reading the prompt, one could imagine how Naples might be from the quote, “Like the twin masks of tragedy and comedy, Naples constantly shifts between splendor and misery, beauty and squalor” (The Shadow of Vesuvius).  From Alex’s descriptions in lecture, I thought we would be picking trash from our shoes and pants as we were forced to wade through the trash infested streets of Naples.  However, from Alex’s class and many of the readings, I was left with the idea that Naples was not as bad as they say it is. 

The day spent with Alex, our Neapolitan tour guide, was filled with historical and modern art, discouraged feelings leaving the Roma camp, delirious dancing on subways, and ended with the most breath-taking view of the city as the sun set on Naples.  I felt as if were able to see the city as it wanted us to, or how Alex wanted us to. 

In one of the readings of Naples, the author states, “Naples is an enigma”.  In more ways than one, Naples is still a mystery to me.  Although Alex was able to show us the things to be proud of if you are a Neapolitan, I am still left with some lingering fears of Naples and the Southern area of Italy.  From our time with Alex, I learned many things about the people of Naples, they do not stop thieves from pick-pocketing tourists, they love pizza, their weddings are the biggest and the best, and they believe in savoring life.   After learning all of this, we went to Capri and Pompeii, which were beautiful and fascinating places to see that only reassured our positive impressions of the South.  Once we were back in Naples, we rushed to the hostel in order to reach the train on time. However in our haste we forgot that “a Naples pavement proves that Italians can ride a bucking bronco and stay in the saddle” (Naples reading). Unfortunately, this is something we were not prepared for and the result was one of us going home empty handed. 

            For me, Naples will always be a mystery.  The city is full of professionals, like Alex, the architect, the baker of best pizza in Naples, or the man on the motorcycle that stole Jenny’s bag.  The city can never be black or white, because although one can see the beauty behind its historical and modern artwork and its impressive active volcano, “a stroll (through Naples) is a mental rodeo that requires bold professionals.”