INSTALLING "PADIGLIONE ITALIA"

THE 54TH INTERNATIONAL ART EXHIBITION 

VENICE BIENNALE

PADIGLIONE ITALIA  

WORKS BY TONY CALZETTA, VINCENZO PIETROPAOLO, FRANCESCA VIVENZA

As the curator of the De Luca Fine Art | Gallery, I have focussed on introducing Italian artists to Canadian audiences for over 10 years. This experience has allowed me to explore and contribute to the “internationalization” of the art world in Canada.

When the Italian Institute of Culture of Toronto invited me to collaborate and co-curate this extraordinary exhibition, I was ecstatic. This year is the 150^th anniversary of Italy and for the first time the Venice Biennale – Vittorio Sgarbi’s Padiglione Italia – is reaching out beyond its borders to feature select artists of Italian descent, living and working in many countries around the world. For Italy, it’s vital to know and cherish the talents that represent Italian culture abroad.

Selecting the three artists for this exhibition has been a challenging “mission”. I am delighted to be able to present works by practitioners of three different artistic disciplines: Francesca Vivenza creates site-specific installations; Tony Calzetta is a painter; and Vincenzo Pietropaolo is a photographer.  Interestingly, however, although these artists primarily pursue very different artistic disciplines, they are united not only by their Italian heritage but also through their creation of utterly fascinating book-works.  This exhibition at the Italian Institute of Culture in Toronto features three “mini-retrospectives” of these artists’ works.

~ Corrado De Luca,

owner of De Luca Fine Art | Gallery 

Duration: 

June 6 – November 27, 2011

Istituto Italiano di Cultura

496 Huron Street,

Toronto, Ontario

Gallery Hours

Mon - Fri: 2:30pm - 4:30pm

Free admission

For more information regarding

this event and/or our services,

consultation, and art rental program

please visit

http://www.delucafineart.com/ or follow us on www.twitter.com/delucafineart  

 de luca fine art | gallery

1153-A Queen Street West, Unit 203
Toronto, Ontario, Canada M6J 1J4

T: (1) 416-537-4699

info@delucafineart.com

Gallery Hours

Tuesday to Saturday 11:00 am to 6:00 pm 

by appointment or by chance

 

INSIDE "BEHIND THE WHIP: DOMINATRIX"

Welcome to the artwork of Maria Coletsis. Primarily using photography, Maria is an artist who also incorporates in her diverse works: painting, digital media and computer installations. She has exhibited her work in galleries around the world and has had her work published in many international magazines and newspapers. Working from Vancouver, Maria continues to investigate and photograph subculture themes. She has been documenting Vancouver's Burlesque community for a decade and has exhibited that work internationally, creating marijuana pin-ups for countless magazines and calendars and exploring the fetish scene of London. She is currently promoting her photo book and short film entitled, Behind The Whip : Dominatrix. To view the Behind the Whip video trailer Click here. "Behind the Whip" is a photography book of portraits and interviews taken on location, in the city and dungeon of each participating global Dominatrix. To do so, Maria traveled to the City's of London, Berlin, Paris, Tokyo, New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Sidney, Hong Kong,.Bangkok, Montreal and Glasgow to interview and photograph the Mistresses.

 

PHOTO EXHIBITION

May 26th to May 30th, 2011

BOOK LAUNCH AND SIGNING
May 26th, 2011 6 to 10 p.m.

A short film of the making of the book will be shown on the opening night.

Book: $40 (plus HST)

To purchase copies, please contact Corrado De Luca:

corrado@delucafineart.com 

or order by phone 416-537-4699
　

Payments can be made by Visa, Mastercard, American Express or by cash.

With our apologies, this is NOT a wheel chair access event.　

For more information regarding this event and/or our services, consultation, and art rental program please visit http://www.delucafineart.com/ or follow us on www.twitter.com/delucafineart

54TH INTERNATIONAL ART EXHIBITION – VENICE BIENNALE

Monday, June 06, 2011 - Sunday, November 27, 2011

AT THE 54TH INTERNATIONAL ART EXHIBITION – VENICE BIENNALE

PADIGLIONE ITALIA  

WORKS BY TONY CALZETTA, VINCENZO PIETROPAOLO, FRANCESCA VIVENZA

The Italian Cultural Institute is proud to present Padiglione Italia at the 54th International Art Exhibition of the Venice Biennale. On display works by Tony Calzetta, Vincenzo Pietropaolo, Francesca Vivenza.

June 6 – November 27, 2011

Istituto Italiano di Cultura 496, Huron St., Toronto

Gallery hours Mon - Fri: 2:30pm - 4:30pm

Free admission

Infoline: 416-921-3802 ext. 221

To celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Unification of Italy, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry for Cultural Heritage and Activities have launched a special event. For the first time ever the Padiglione Italia at the 54th International Art Exhibition of the Venice Biennale has been extended over the national boundaries to include the Italian Cultural Institutes in the world.
  

The aim of the project, which has been devised by Vittorio Sgarbi, art director of Padiglione Italia, is to map out Italian creativity abroad.

Each Institute has elected a number of Italian artists or artists of Italian descent living and working in its own jurisdiction, active in various disciplines, from painting to sculpture, photography, video, design, graphics. Over 400 artists’ portfolios have been submitted to a special commission made up of art historians and critics and chaired by Vittorio Sgarbi and 219 have been chosen.

The artists selected for Toronto are Tony Calzetta, Vincenzo Pietropaolo, Francesca Vivenza.

A collective exhibition of their works will be on display from June 6 until the end of the Venice Biennale, November 27 at the Institute. The exhibition has been filmed in a video which will be screened at the Padiglione Italia on a multimedia installation created by Benedetta Miralles Tagliabue. The accompanying music, “Da Pitagora e oltre”, has been composed for the occasion by Ennio Morricone. The exhibition has been curated by Adriana Frisenna (IIC Acting Director) and Corrado De Luca, (from De Luca Fine Art Gallery)


A special bilingual catalogue edited by Skira and curated by Francesca Valente (project coordinator) will accompany the exhibition.

Tony Calzetta
Over the last 30 years, since graduating from York University with an M.F.A., Tony Calzetta has exhibited continually in solo and group exhibitions. He works mainly on canvas and paper and occasional in the areas of sculpture and printmaking. He published two major livres d’artiste, Acts of Kindness and of Love in collaboration with writer John Metcalf, and more recently How God Talks In His Sleep and Other Fabulous Fictions with writer Leon Rooke. In addition to commissioned works he is represented in public and private collections in Canada, U.S. and Europe and in 2004 was elected as a member of the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts (R.C.A.).

Vincenzo Pietropaolo is an independent documentary photographer who lives and works in Toronto. He is internationally best known for his empathetic social documentary photo essays on immigration, work, and labour movement. He has published 8 photographic books, among which Making Home in Havana, Not Paved with Gold and Harvest Pilgrims. His latest large documentary project, Invisible No More (Rutgers University Press, 2010), deals with Canadians with intellectual disabilities.

Francesca Vivenza graduated at the Academy of Fine Arts of Brera, Milan, Italy. Vivenza has been living and working in Toronto since1970, and has exhibited since 1966. Her practice consists of mixed-media works, which include bookworks, cut-out collages and site-specific installations, that she calls Tentative Itineraries. Vivenza addresses themes of travel, distance, disorientation, and questions the stability of taken-for-granted sites of personal identity as home, nation and native language. 

For additional information regarding this event and/or our services, consultation, and art rental program please visit www.delucafineart.com/ or follow us on www.twitter.com/delucafineart

PHOTO EXHIBITION, BOOK LAUNCH AND SIGNING

Come celebrate Maria Coletsis exceptional exhibition and book launch for: 

BEHIND THE WHIP: DOMINATRIX

PORTRAIT AND WORDS


“Behind the Whip: Dominatrix, Portraits and Words” is a series of photographs and interviews involving dominatrix taken on location in major cities in North America, Europe and Asia. These photo essays present an intimate look at the women, their words, and their dungeons. These women discuss in the interviews why they choose to do what they do, who their clients are, and the services they provide as well as how their services uniquely represent the city in which they work.

Maria Coletsis at De Luca Fine Art Gallery

Pages from the new book by Maria Coletsis,
"Behind The Whip: Dominatrix Portraits and Words"

PHOTO EXHIBITION

May 26th to May 30th, 2011

BOOK LAUNCH AND SIGNING
May 26th, 2011 6 to 10 p.m. 

A short film of the making of the book will be shown on the opening night.

Book: $40 (plus HST)

To purchase copies, please contact Corrado De Luca:

corrado@delucafineart.com or order by phone 416-537-4699
　

Payments can be made by Visa, Mastercard, American Express or by cash.

With our apologies, this is NOT a wheel chair access event.　

For more information regarding this event and/or our services, consultation, and art rental program please visit http://www.delucafineart.com/ or follow us on www.twitter.com/delucafineart

PHOTO EXHIBITION

MARIA COLETSIS

BEHIND THE WHIP: DOMINATRIX

Portraits and Words

PHOTO EXHIBITION

May 26th to May 30th, 2011

BOOK LAUNCH AND SIGNING
May 26th, 2011 6 to 10 p.m.

A short film of the making of the book and photography series will be shown.

This is a must see event!

For more information regarding this show
or for Maria Coletsis's work:

T: (1) 416-537-4699
contact@delucafineart.com

 

de luca fine art | gallery
1153-A Queen Street West, Unit 203
Toronto, Ontario, Canada M6J 1J4

PRESS RELEASE

1153-A Queen Street West, Unit 203

Toronto, ON M6J 1J4

www.delucafineart.blogspot.com

www.delucafineart.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Photography Series Exhibition and Book Launch:

“Behind the Whip: Dominatrix, Portraits and Words” by Maria Coletsis

 

Toronto, May 10, 2011 – This exhibition is a startling collection of photographs and book launch of one of Canada's freshest new voices in contemporary photography by Maria Coletsis. The exhibition will run from May 26^th to May 29^th, 2011. De Luca Fine Art | Gallery is hosting the Photography Series Exhibition and Book Launch: “Behind the Whip: Dominatrix, Portraits and Words” on Thursday, May 26^th, 2011 from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. at 1153-A Queen Street West, Unit 203, Toronto. Please R.S.V.P. to invite@delucafineart.com

“Behind the Whip: Dominatrix, Portraits and Words” is a series of photographs and interviews involving dominatrix taken on location in major cities in North America, Europe and Asia. These photo essays present an intimate look at the women, their words, and their dungeons. These women discuss in the interviews why they choose to do what they do, who their clients are, and the services they provide as well as how their services uniquely represent the city in which they work.

Bondage and fetish photography are associated with ritualized role-playing but also with a kind of religious intensity that longs for immortality. The relatively recent popularity in the west of fetish events and clubs have acquired an acceptable air of social approval due in part to writers like Foucault, Baudrillard, George Bataille and others, who see this as a necessary outlet for suppressed imagination.

The origins of the erotic rituals of Bondage, Domination and Sadomasochism are obscure. We have records of ritual flagellations called “Diamastigosis” at the shrine of Artemis Orthia in Ancient Sparta (in Greece) in the ninth century BCE.  It is from the archaic period of pre-Olympian Greece and appears to be a replacement for the ritual of human sacrifice itself.

Maria Coletsis presents this world clearly in photographs, which are entirely from an observer’s standpoint without being seduced by its fantasy elements or attempting to present the participants as anything other than what they are pretending to be. This book is about our time and some of our current inflexions of both so old and new activities.

Maria Coletsis works with issues concerned with identity and sexuality. Since receiving her MFA from the San Francisco Art Institute, she has exhibited her artwork in galleries internationally. Her photographs were included in the 2010 East London photography festival and have been published in many international magazines and newspapers. Her work has been featured on CBC Radio3, webzine. She continues to investigate and photograph subculture groups. Her work will also be exhibited at book launches in three other cities, London, England on May 5^th, Vancouver, British Columbia on May 18^th and at the De Luca Fine Art | Gallery in Toronto, Ontario on May 26^th, 2011.

De Luca Fine Art | Gallery, established in 2004, is located at 1153-A Queen Street West, in the heart of the Queen West Gallery District in Toronto and is dedicated to representing and introducing Italian and International Artists to Canadian. In collaboration with select Italian Galleries, De Luca Fine Art | Gallery introduces established and emerging Canadian Artists to Italy. De Luca Fine Art | Gallery’s mandate is “representing a bridge between Cultures”.

For more information regarding this event and/or our services, consultation, and art rental program please visit www.delucafineart.com or follow us on www.twitter.com/delucafineart or www.delucafineart.blogspot.com

###

For media inquiries please contact:

Corrado De Luca

corrado@delucafineart.com

T: (1) 416-728-4408

Solo Exhibition of International Artist Juno Youn

MADE IN MONTREAL

En considérant le monde différent by

JUNO YOUN

 

  De Luca Fine Art | Gallery hosted the solo exhibition of International artist Juno Youn “MADE IN MONTREAL En considérant le monde différent” on Saturday, April 9^th, 2011, from 6 pm to 9:30 pm.

For more information regarding this event and/or our services, consultation, and art rental program please visit http://www.delucafineart.com/ or follow us on www.twitter.com/delucafineart

JUNO YOUN ARTIST STATEMENT

MADE IN MONTREAL

En considérant le monde différent by

JUNO YOUN

“MADE IN MONTREAL holds a multitude of moments that I have been able to revisit through this artistic journey. Upon reflection of my time spent in Montreal I can easily see my changing attitudes, moods, from simple happiness to the anxiety of my challenges after the car accident.

Each of these very different emotions and feelings are graphically expressed in my own language or symbolism. Shapes, textures, colours, etc. each shaped by the desire to communicate my inner feelings. This series is shaped through the collection of artistic statements I can pinpoint some of the artistic actions which are a direct response to they way I felt at a particular moment in time. Often stifled by trying to convey emotions verbally, I find a strong sense of confidence in this other form of translating my immediate feelings and thoughts. The artistic language shows signs of homage or tribute to many of the artist’s works that have influenced me over my career. This series has, for me found a common ground that is comforting. The shared space is that of my own artistic expression mixed with the assortment of influences culminating in a satisfying place of my own. My vision and voice have found a comfortable place and it feels good.”
~ Juno Youn

For more information regarding this event and/or our services, consultation, and art rental program please visit http://www.delucafineart.com/ or follow us on www.twitter.com/delucafineart

Pure Art Water by BRUNO BILLIO at the Toronto Hearts Japan Silent Auction

OPENING RECEPTION
Friday April 1st 7-10pm

Venue: Gladstone Gallery (2nd Floor)

Fundraiser, Special Event, Visual Arts

http://www.torontoheartsjapan.com/

International artist BRUNO BILLIO has made a name for himself around the city for his interior design works and installation practices. These two aspects of his career tend to co-mingle. On Friday April 1, at the Gladstone Gallery's silent auction you will have the opportunity to aquire a bottle of BRUNO BILLIO'S 'Pure Art Water' poured from the taps at the Gladstone Hotel. Your support at this event will help raise much needed funds that will be donated to The Red Cross.

Narwhal Art Projects, Invisible-Friends, the Galdstone Hotel and friends are excited to host Toronto Hearts Japan, a fundraiser for our far-away loves.

Our hearts have been broken by news of devastated towns and people separated from their homes and families, and we want to help. This event lets all of us who feel a special connection to Japan lend a hand in our own way. All proceeds will be donated to The Red Cross and to helping rebuild the Birdo Flugas Artist Centre and Community in Shiogama.

Toronto Hearts Japan is an exhibition, silent auction, and two (count them!) parties at the beloved Gladstone Hotel (with DJ Paul E. Lopes and DJ Jun). Featuring works from local to international artists (and other surprises too), everybody can find a way to offer our hearts to Japan and help them soldier on.

 OPENING RECEPTION
GLADSTONE HOTEL, Second Floor
Friday April 1st
7-10pm

$20 suggested admission (includes raffle ticket)
*Special one night only auction and raffle with art gifts and surprises*

 CLOSING RECEPTION
Tuesday April 5th 5-8pmWinners of our silent art auction will be announced at 7pm. Art pickup from 7-8pm.

Silent Art Exhibition from:
Thurs March 31 - Tues April 5, 2011
Gladstone Hotel, 2nd Floor
12-5pm daily

http://www.gladstonehotel.com/events/event-listings/todays-events/event-detail?eid=3416

PARTICIPATING ARTISTS:
Sonja Ahlers, Paul Aloisi, Nicholas Aoki, Stephen Appleby-Barr, Andrew Remington Bailey, Ashley Barron, Marc Bell, Diego Bergia, Katie Bethune-Leamen, Shary Boyle, Mat Brown, Robin Cameron, Tyler Clark-Burke, Trudie Cheng, Mark Connery, Robert Dayton, Taku Dazai, Brett Despotovich, Yuri Didrichsons, Nicholas DiGenova, Brian Donnelly, Dave Dyment, Shayne Ehman, Matthew Feyld, Melissa Fisher, Brendan Flanagan, Theo Gallaro, James Gardner, Shannon Gerard, Dana Gils, Heather Goodchild, Adrian Hayles, Heydon Park Artists, Sachi Hirano, Derrick Hodgson, Jay Isaac, Melinda Josie, Nathan Jurevicius, Adrienne Kammerer, Kozyndan, Nobuo Kubota, Chris Kuzma, Patrick Kyle, Christy Langer, Aaron Leighton, Tessar Lo, Amy Lockhart, Jamiyla Lowe, Derek Mainella, Chris Martin, Megan McKenzie, Jason Mclean, Alex McLeod, Julie Moon, Jennifer Murphy, Alicia Nauta, Tibi Tibi Neuspiel, Noel Middleton, Luke Painter, Roula Parthenou, Sandy Plotnikoff, Brad Phillips, Katherine Piro, Andrew Pommier, Lauchie Reid, Tony Romano, Kathryn Ruppert-Dazai, Tania Sanhueza, Jennifer Rose Sciarrino, Seth Scriver, Emiko Sekiguchi, German Shible, Lisa Smolkin, Jordan Sonenberg, Jennie Suddick, Derek Sullivan, Team Macho, Jon Todd, Michael Toke, Celeste TooGood, Karen Tracanelli, Howie Tsui, Brett Tyler, Lara Vincent, Andrew Waite, Meichen Waxer, Jacob Whibley, Billy Bert Young, Hyun-Chung Yu and Balint Zsako.

RAFFLE PRIZES FROM:
The Arcade Fire, Art Metropole, The Beguiling, Bikram Yoga Toronto, Cabaret, Carte Blanche, Coupe Bizarre, Dark Horse, Fieldguided, Films We Like, Honeybea Designhive, Hunter & Cook, Jayna Corbett, Joel Tellier at FUS Studio, Kid Icarus, Klaxon Howl, Koyama Press, Lady Marmalade, Life is Sweet, Liz Milkau, Lost and Found, Magic Pony, The Ministry of Artistic Affairs, Ministry Of the Interior, Moksha Yoga, Monster Factory, Robber, Rodney’s Oyster House, Sweet Bliss Baking Company, Sydney�s,The Ten Spot, Turning Point Training Methods/SBG Toronto, Warriors, (and the list keeps growing!)

For One Night Only: Group of Seven Masterworks Meet the Art of Top Italian-Canadian Artists

Toronto’s Columbus Centre and the McMichael Canadian Art Collection Present a Unique Intercultural Celebration that has been Inspired by Canada!

 The Toronto Italian community’s beloved Columbus Centre welcomed an outstanding collection of works from the McMichael Canadian Art Collection and works by artists of Italian heritage who have been inspired by the Group of Seven. This pairing of some of Canada’s most important art was unveiled at an exclusive cocktail reception that was held on Tuesday, March 29, 2011 at the Lawrence Avenue facility with food prepared by the renowned Ristorante Boccaccio.

“Enthusiasm shown by the Columbus Centre and by the leaders of our Canadian-Italian community has been spectacular. This McMichael/Columbus Centre partnership helps us understand Canada better by appreciating this country’s most renowned interpreters of the land,” said co-chair Lori Abittan, President and CEO of Multimedia Nova Corporation. Ms. Abittan shares leadership for the event with Ralph Chiodo, founder of Active Green + Ross, and McMichael Board of Trustees Vice-Chair, Patrick Gossage.

Honourary Patrons for the Inspired by Canada event include: Senator Con Di Nino, Vaughan Mayor Maurizio Bevilacqua, Toronto Mayor Rob Ford, Federal Minister Julian Fantino and retired Justice of the Supreme Court, the Honourable Frank Iacobucci. “This year’s reception, in support of the McMichael Canadian Art Collection and the Joseph D. Carrier Art Gallery/Columbus Centre, will give back to two worthy causes … in a big way. The ‘who’s who’ from our community is helping raise awareness and funds in support of Canadian art,” says Active Green + Ross’s Ralph Chiodo. “This spectacular event will showcase some of this country’s best artists who have channeled the spirit of the great outdoors through their beautifully painted masterpieces.” The Inspired by Canada reception and exhibition will be held from 6:30 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. (opening remarks at 7:30 p.m.) on March 29 at the Joseph D. Carrier Art Gallery/Columbus Centre located at 901 Lawrence Avenue West.

This was a one-night-only fundraiser is an exclusive and intimate gathering with only 400 tickets available! The cocktail party’s special multi-level exhibition will explore many works painted by members of the renowned Group of Seven in juxtaposition to works by contemporary Italian-Canadian artists including Tony Bianco, Tracy Thomson Colero (great-grandniece of Tom Thomson), Salvatore Gallo, Sam Paonessa, Giuseppe Pivetta, Joseph Catalano, Germinio Politi, and the late Albert Chiarandini, who painted with members of the Group of Seven. In addition to the fine art, Ristorante Boccaccio was serving epicurean delights throughout the evening. There was a Fine Scotch and Grappa Bar (courtesy of Via Allegro Ristorante) and a gourmet Cheese Station (courtesy of The Cheese Boutique).

Event Information:
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
6:30 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. Formal Remarks at 7:30 p.m.
Columbus Centre/JoseCarrier Art Gallery

901 Lawrence Avenue West, Toronto, ON, M6A 1C3

About the Galleries:

The Joseph D. Carrier Art Gallery, located in Columbus Centre, is part of the Villa Charities family of community-based, charitable non-profit organizations. The Joseph D. Carrier Art Gallery receives no ongoing public funding and relies on private sector donors, sponsorships and income-generating activities.

The McMichael Canadian Art Collection is an agency of the Government of Ontario and acknowledges the support of the Ministry of Tourism and Culture. It is the foremost venue in the country showcasing the Group of Seven and their contemporaries. In addition to touring exhibitions, its permanent collection consists of more than 5,500 artworks, including paintings by the Group of Seven and their contemporaries, First Nations and Inuit artists. The gallery is located on Islington Avenue, north of Major Mackenzie Drive in Kleinburg, and is open daily from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Tickets for $185 per person.

http://www.mcmichael.com/about/mediamcmichaelcolumbuscentrenight2011.cfm

EARTH HOUR at the ARCHEO





"Earth Hour at Archeo I"
Photo by ©Jes E. Sladojevic



Everyone here at the ARCHEO restaurant located in the heart of Historic Distillery District, joined in with millions of people around the world this evening in the collective effort to battle climate change and raise environmental awareness. 

"Earth Hour at Archeo II"
Photo by ©Jes E. Sladojevic

The restaurant is a perfect balance of contemporary style and historic tradition, with it's high ceilings, concrete floors, exposed brick walls, large open-concept room and the reclaimed timber bar and tables was a perfect setting when the lights switched-off here in Toronto at 8:30 p.m. for an hour as a celebration of the fourth annual Earth Hour in Canada. 

People at ARCHEO, across the city and around world from all walks of life came together in celebration of EARTH HOUR that was started five ears ago in Australia to raise awareness and aid in the international climate change.

I think Corrado De Luca owner of De Luca Fine Art  |  Gallery and I had the best seats in the restaurant thanks to Ian, one of the many friendly people who work at ARCHEO.



To make your reservation:

(1) 416-815-9898

http://www.distilleryevents.com/ 

http://www.archeo.ca/index.php

For more information regarding our services, consultation, and art rental program please visit
De Luca Fine Art  |  Gallery
http://www.delucafineart.com/ or follow us on www.twitter.com/delucafineart