Harold Goldstein
Beautiful paintings and detailed maps shine in William Fain’s Italian Cities and Landscapes, an architectural exhibition being featured in the Pierce College Art Gallery.
The exhibition was split into two parts: Artist’s Talk with William Fain about his most current urban project and the exhibit itself.
More than 40 drawings featured in the gallery were taken from Fain’s newest book, “Italian Cities and Landscapes: An Architect’s Sketchbook”, a 264-page collection of drawings by Fain while traveling in Rome.
The Artist’s Talk delved into Fain’s urban project for Rome entitled “Water, Space: Returning the Tiber to Rome.” The lecture explains how Fain will reunite both sides of the Tiber River connecting the neighborhoods alongside its banks. Many of the works shown include proposals and boards for the project.
Fain had long been interested in drawing and architecture, having an engineer for a father and an artist for a mother.
“I become interested in social issues having to do with place-making,” said Fein. “This exhibit…allowed me to explore, further, the issues of the city and (its) public places.”
Curated by Constance Moffatt, Professor of art, and her “displaying techniques” class, the Pierce Art Gallery was transformed from a few small white-walled rooms to a vast roman countryside.
“I heard his lecture and I immediately wanted to have (the gallery) here because we have an architecture’s program here and lots of drawing students,” said Moffatt, who saw Fain’s show in the Italian Cultural Institute in Westwood.
The drawings inspired Rudy Pimentel, who is studying architecture in his 60s after his children were grown up.
“It’s a dream,” he said. “You have to dream it.”
The exhibit will be shown at the Art Gallery below the stairs from the Performing Arts building beginning from Oct. 22 to Nov. 13. Gallery hours are from 2-7 p.m. Monday-Thursday.
Business economics major Daniel Lopez engages in a landscape sketch of Naples, Italy at the “Italian Cities and Landscapes” art exhibit on Monday, November 2, 2008. He explains “This one makes me wanna go to Naples.” “I like it and now I wanna go there.” (Aisha Ahal)