Preserving Abruzzo's Cultural Heritage

Donald W. Reynolds Center for the Visual Arts
E. L. Wiegand Gallery

160 West Liberty Street, Reno NV 89501

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MEDIA CONTACT:
Rachel Milon, Director of Communications and Marketing
(o) 775.329.3333 ex. 228 / (m) 702.445.1141 / rachel.milon@nevadaart.org

ARTE ITALIA, THE NEVADA MUSEUM OF ART AND SIERRA NEVADA COLLEGE REUNITE
TWO DISPLACED ITALIAN TREASURES - ITS UNIVERSITY STUDENTS AND A HISTORIC ARTWORK


Reno, Nev. (Feb. 12, 2010) – When the Beffi Triptych takes up residency at the Nevada Museum of Art this month, two of L’Aquila’s most valued treasures—its university students and its historic artwork—will be reunited. The first work of art to be transported out of Italy’s historical Abruzzo region in the aftermath of the violent 2009 earthquake, The Beffi Triptych: Preserving Abruzzo's Cultural Heritage is on display at the Museum from February 6 - April 11, 2010.

The Beffi Triptych is presented and exclusively sponsored by E. L. Wiegand Foundation’s Arte ITALIA of Reno, Nevada.

In the fall of 2009, Sierra Nevada College at Lake Tahoe, in partnership with the National Italian American Foundation (NIAF) in Washington, D.C., developed a unique scholarship program designed to enable University of L’Aquila students to continue their education while their university is being rebuilt. Fundraising efforts, spearheaded by Sierra Nevada College Vice President of Development and College Relations Dr. Madylon Meiling, raised nearly $600K for the humanitarian initiative that provided twenty-four students with full one-year scholarships in 2009, with another fourteen students arriving in January 2010.

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton acknowledged the joint venture and generosity of the American academic community, noting “… the door to new experiences and opportunities in the wake of that tragic situation has been opened.”

In an event organized by the Nevada Museum of Art, in collaboration with Sierra Nevada College at Lake Tahoe, thirty-four of the displaced students from the University of L’Aquila will have the opportunity to view one of their hometown’s most important works of art during a special reunion event on Tuesday, March 9, from 5:30 – 8:00 pm. Dignitaries that will be in attendance during the event include Nicola Faganello, Consul General of Italy, Los Angeles; Mario Resca, Director General, Ministry for Cultural Heritage and Activities; and Rosanna Binacchi , Head of International Relations, Ministry for Cultural Heritage and Activities. The altarpiece joins Raphael's masterpiece painting La Velata (The Woman with the Veil) currently on display at the Museum, also presented and exclusively sponsored by E. L. Wiegand Foundation’s Arte ITALIA.

Italian Ambassador to the United States, Giulio Terzi commented during the farewell ceremony for the Beffi Triptych at the National Gallery in Washington, “The exhibition of the Triptych in the United States is highly symbolic: a testimony of Italy’s commitment to restore fully the cultural heritage of the Abruzzo region and a testimony of our gratitude to the United States for being among the first to offer assistance after the earthquake. The exhibition is part of the new broader policy of the Italian Government which will make possible the loan of other significant masterworks to American museums.”

Nicola Faganello, Consul General of Italy in Los Angeles, noted that, “The upcoming event brings together a masterpiece of the ancient cultural heritage of Abruzzo and a group of young students coming from its capital, L’Aquila. They are generously hosted at the Sierra Nevada College, which I visited last January. They are given a chance to continue their education in the US, thus contributing to strengthen the bonds between our two peoples.”
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pg. 2; Contact: Rachel Milon, Director of Communications and Marketing at 775-329-3333 ex. 228 or rachel.milon@nevadaart.org

Alongside their studies in SNC’s progressive liberal arts curriculum, the students – like the Beffi Triptych – serve as cultural ambassadors and look forward to sharing their perspectives of Abruzzo’s cultural heritage during the March 9 event.

Alessandra Cipollone, one of the displaced students, said, “The earthquake tragedy scarred me in a very deep way. In the aftermath of this tragic event, I faced questions about whether the death and destruction could have been avoided. The answer was me, my work, my expertise that could make the difference one day…. I promised myself that I will design safe building structures to prevent people from dying, like the 307 people killed in L’Aquila.”

The Beffi Triptych: Preserving Abruzzo's Cultural Heritage is on view in the Feature Gallery East at the Nevada Museum of Art, Donald W. Reynolds Center for the Visual Arts, E. L. Wiegand Gallery, from February 6 - April 11, 2010. Located at 160 West Liberty Street in downtown Reno, the Museum is open Wednesday through Sunday. Cost: Museum members free; $10 adults; $8 students/seniors; $1 children 6 – 12; free for children five and under. For more information, call 775.329.3333 or visit www.nevadaart.org.

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