Ci troviamo sulle colline a nord di Venezia invitate dall’Asolo Art Film Festival

Ci troviamo sulle colline a nord di Venezia invitate dall’Asolo Art Film Festival sotto la direzione artistica di Steve Bisson.
Asolo è una città medievale che nel corso degli anni è stata la casa e luogo di aggregazione per numerosi artisti. Il poeta inglese Robert Browning è stato proprio uno dei residenti qui ad Asolo e ha dato il nome alla Galleria Browning dove ha luogo la nostra mostra personale di fotografia e video installazione: ‘Still Life: London’.

Il festival si svolge in Agosto e dura due settimane mostrando film d’autore ed è presieduto da Attilio Zamperoni da più di dieci anni. La peculiarità di questo festival è di ospitare una selezione di film d’autore da tutto il mondo; partecipare al festival offre l’opportunità di vedere molti film di alto livello in un periodo ristretto.

È davvero fantastico stare in mezzo a queste persone interessate all’arte e al film. Ci vediamo per colazione, pranzo e cena, alla Galleria Browning e alle proiezioni serali. Alla fine della giornata le persone si incontrano nella piazza per parlare e bere qualcosa insieme fino alle prime ore del mattino.

Abbiamo fatto nuove amicizie e rinnovato le vecchie. Il festival è un evento di successo gestito da un ristretto team di professionisti e da una giuria che insieme lavorano duro supportati da un gruppo di volontari molto dedicati. Uno dei servizi organizzato del festival è quello di provvedere dei pasti agli ospiti, offerti da ristoranti locali e consumati ai tavoli allestiti nel giardino di Casa Malipiero. Rosanna è il viso sorridente di questa impresa, aiutata dal marito e dai due figli che dedicano due settimane della loro estate per prepararci da mangiare e infondere un po’ di gioia a tutti noi.


Wyllie O Hagan
Denise Wyllie and Clare O Hagan

http://www.wyllieohagan.com

http://www.facebook.com/wyllieohagan
https://www.facebook.com/StillLifeLondon

Following the footsteps of Artists to Asolo, Italy

We are in the hills north of Venice as guests of the Asolo Art Film Festivals Art Director Steve Bisson.

Asolo is a medieval town and has been home and gathering place for artists for hundreds of years. Robert Browning, the English poet was one such resident who gives his name to the Galleria Browning where our solo show of photographs and video installation: Still Life: London is being exhibited.

The festival runs for two weeks in August showing art films and has been Chaired by Attilio Zamperoni for over ten years. It is unique in hosting very well selected art films from all over the world. Participating in the festival gives the opportunity to see within a concentrated period of time, art films of a high calibre.

It is great to be amongst good people who are interested in art and film. We meet them at breakfast, lunch and supper, as well as at the Browning Gallery, and at the evenings screenings.  At the end of the day people meet in the square to talk and share a drink together continuing conversations until the early hours of the morning.

We have renewed friendships as well as making new ones. The festival is successful being run by a very small professional hardworking team and jury who are supported by a group of committed volunteers. One of the facilities the team have put in place are communal   meals provided by local restaurants shared at trestle tables in the walled garden of Casa Malipiero.  Rosanna is the smiling face of this enterprise. Rosanna is helped by her husband and two sons who all give up two full weeks of their Summer to provide food and good cheer to us all.

There has been a great response to Still Life: London with people avidly asking a multitude of questions about its meaning and techniques as well as giving very personal insights to their experience of it. We wonder if that is because the work uses familiar images of family activities and objects, people may feel more able to relate to the language of the imagery and meaning. People have commented that they were glad to be reminded in these austere and troubled times that there is room to still enjoy the small moments of pleasure. People take delight in the photographs  and video of home environment and afternoon tea.  They are intrigued by the vivid images of English jelly, asking many questions about what it was.  We surprised guests at the Exhibition Opening by serving jelly to adults and children alike. This which went down a treat.

On the subject of food, whilst in Italy, we have set ourselves a challenge of sampling all of the ice-cream flavours in the Gelateria Browning, which is five doors up the street from the gallery. Francesco Zandonadi make his own ice-cream from local fresh ingredients that taste divine. We are a third of the way through but Denise is stuck on the coffee and Clare is stuck on raspberry.

Wyllie O Hagan

Denise Wyllie and Clare O Hagan

http://www.wyllieohagan.com

http://www.facebook.com/wyllieohagan