Revista da Florence Unviersity fo Arts no segundo semestre de 2015. Página 10 e 19 com fotos e textos meus.

1. T h e S e m e s t e r l y M a g a z i n e o f F l o r e n c e U n i v e r s i t y o f t h e A r t s
F UA A N N UA L C ON F E R E NC E | H E R I TAG E / E N V I R ON M E N T | C OM M U N I T Y | T R AV E L | F O O D | FA S H ION | A RT S | L I T E R AT U R E
History
Society
Fashion
Color
Food
FUA CONFERENCE
De Re Mediterranea
ENRICO COVERI
A Tuscan Fashion
Story
TRAVEL
Is the Mediterranean Blue?
THE ABCs
Mediterranean
Food
FLUENTIA
Florence's Heritage
SOCIAL MOSAICS
Mediterranean Voices
FALL-WINTER
2 015 /16
YEAR 6 - ISSUE 1

2. GANZO* is a school but with non-traditional
classrooms where the Apicius students and faculty
develop seasonal menus and share them with the
general public.
Via dei Macci, 85red
tel +39 055 241076
FLY* Fashion Loves You supports the FAST fashion
academics and collaborates with emerging Italian
designers.
Borgo Pinti, 21red
tel +39 055 0333174
fly.fashionlovesyou.it
INGORDA* The J School campus press creates
books on gastronomy, design, travel, and lifestyle
in collaboration with FUA students
and faculty.
Via dell'Oriuolo, 43
tel +39 055 0332745
jschoolfua.com
Florence University
of the Arts
Where studies transform
into real-world
experiences
* Ganzo, FLY and Ingorda are respectively the CEMI of the Apicius, FAST, J School academic divisions at FUA. CEMI stands for Community Engagement
Member Institution, and represents integration projects that are a part of FUA’s academic campuses and open to the greater community. It is where students
and faculty can put into practice and experiment with their academic coursework.
CULINARY ARTS
FASHION PUBLISHING

3. To the present writer a careful study of the facts
now available seems to leave no doubt that civilization
was born at the southeast corner of the Mediterranean.
JAMES HENRY BREASTED
The intercourse between the Mediterranean and the North or
between the Atlantic and Central Europe was never purely economic
or political; it also meant the exchange of knowledge and ideas
and the influence of social institutions and artistic and literary forms.
CHRISTOPHER DAWSON
In Morocco, it's possible to see the Atlantic
and the Mediterranean at the same time.
TAHAR BEN JELLOUN
The Mediterranean is always just white, white, white.
CY TWOMBLY
The Mediterranean is in my DNA. I'm fine inland for about
a week, but then I yearn for a limitless view of the sea,
for the colours and smells of the Italian and French Riviera.
ALAIN DUCASSE
I had better cellular coverage on a ship in the middle of the
Mediterranean Sea than I have in many parts of Silicon Valley.
ROGER MCNAMEE
To eat figs off the tree in the very early morning,
when they have been barely touched by the sun,
is one of the exquisite pleasures of the Mediterranean.
ELIZABETH DAVID, An Omelette and a Glass of Wine
I don’t open my eyes until the sounds of beating rain disappear
and I can feel the warmth of the Mediterranean sun on my face.
BETH REVIS, The Body Electric
Logic is a mere iceberg in the Mediterranean of wisdom.
RAHEEL FAROOQ
One cannot analyse the character of European gardens
without looking beyond the Mediterranean.
This is because horticulture, palace life and city-building
developed in the Fertile Crescent before spreading,
via Crete, Greece, Egypt and Italy to the forests of Europe.
TOM TURNER

4. Blending Magazine is a semesterly publication
produced by the students and faculty members
of Florence University of the Arts, the academic
member of Palazzi Florence Association for
International Education.
Semestrale / Semesterly Magazine
Reg. Trib. di Firenze n° 5844 del 29 luglio 2011
Anno 6 – Numero 1 – Autunno-Inverno 2016
Year 6 – Issue 1 – Fall-Winter 2016
Direttore Responsabile / Editor-in-chief
Matteo Brogi
Caporedattore / Editorial Director
Grace Joh
Coordinamento editoriale / Managing Editor
Federico Cagnucci
++++++++++++
In redazione / Masthead
Redazione / Copy Editors
Lauren Fromin
Progetto grafico e impaginazione
Graphic design and layout
Federico Cagnucci
Team di studenti / Student Magazine Team
led by Federico Cagnucci:
Daniela Anselmo, Lauren Berry, Cailin Boegel,
Garrett Day, Christina M. Garcia, Chau Thai Thi Minh
Fotografi / Photographers
Daniela Anselmo, Josh Berendes,
Aydin Berna, Lauren Berry, Brel/Genovese,
Federico Cagnucci, Calogero Cipolla,
Christina M. Garcia, Samantha Hensel,
Margherita Innocenti, Bill King, Michaela Kotob,
François Lamy, Ramzi Malouf, Isabella Martini,
Emily McColl, Rebecca Menezes, Malu Palma,
Meagan Mary Pariseau, Alessia Pesaresi,
Spencer Sisselman, Oliviero Toscani,
David Andre Weiss, Frank Yarbrough,
Alice Ye-Ji Kim
Foto di copertina / Cover Photo By
© Oliviero Toscani
Foto retro copertina / Back Cover Photo By
Berna Aydın
Pubblicità seconda e terza di copertina /
Inside Front and Back Cover Advertisement Pages
Concept and Design by Paola Carretero
Photographs by Thakorn Jantrachot
Ringraziamenti / Special Thanks To
Simone Ballerini, Isabella Martini, Nicoletta Salomon
++++++++++++
Editore / Publisher
Florence Campus per INGORDA Editore
Via Alfonso La Marmora, 39 - 50121 Firenze
Sede editoriale / Editorial Headquarters
Via dell'Oriuolo, 43 - 50122 Firenze
Tel. 055-0332745
Stampa / Printer
Grafiche Gelli s.r.l.,
via G. Leopardi, 11 - Calenzano (FI)
Il numero è stato chiuso in redazione
nel mese di gennaio 2016
This issue was completed in January 2016
Copyright © 2016 by Florence Campus, Firenze
All rights reserved.
ISSN 2284-063X
Ph.BERNAAYDIN

5. table of contents
Letter from the Editor 5
fua annual conference
De Re Mediterranea: Conference Recap 6
Student Art exhibition 9
HERITAGE/ENVIRONMENT
From Fluentia to Florence: Tracing
Florence's Mediterranean Heritage 12
Ancient Rome in Florence 14
Gothic Florence 14
Medieval Florence 15
Dark Times in Medieval Florence 16
The Positive Impact of
the Great 14th
Century Crises 16
Etruscans: The Forgotten Civilization
of the Mediterranean 17
Mediterranean Water:
The Mother of Culture 18
COMMUNITY
Social Mosaics 19
Ayan in Via Palazzuolo 19
Mediterranean Dreams:
Truth and Fiction 20
Thousands of Stories 21
TRAVEL
Is the Mediterranean Blue? 22
Palazzo dei Normanni: Palermo's Prism 26
For the Travel Dreamer: Greece 27
Mediterranean Photo Diary 28
Italian Landscapes 30
FOOD
#middleeast on the Table 31
What Do You Know about Olio? 32
ABCs of Mediterranean Food 33
The Roots of Pizza 34
A Mediterranean in New York 35
FASHION
Enrico Coveri: The Sea
and What She Wears 36
Mediterranean Moods 42
Emilio Pucci: A Mediterranean Recipe 46
ARTS
Fragments of Me 52
literature
The Divine Afterlife of
the Mediterranean 54
Sticky September 56
fall-winter 2015-16
T h e S e m e s t e r l y M a g a z i n e o f F l o r e n c e U n i v e r s i t y o f t h e A r t s

7. FUA ANNUAL CONFERENCE
F A L L - W I N T E R 2 0 1 5 | 1 6 * 5
Ph.BERNAAYDIN
Letter from the Editor
T
he Mediterranean is the cradle of life where
the Western and Eastern worlds meet. Thanks
to the recent conference "De Re Mediterranea"
hosted by FUA and Stony Brook University (SUNY),
our academic community had the chance to
explore the depths of a geographical area that has
forever been a point of convergence and conflict.
The Fall / Winter 2015-16 issue of Blending Magazine
is an ode to Mediterranean concepts, happenings,
and landscapes. Our editorial team continuously
found itself marveling at the different ways the
issue's contributors interpreted sections and topics
through the kaleidoscope that is the Mediterranean.
An important focus is the migrant issue that
places Italy at the center of the international stage,
examined by FUA students through photojournalism
and the documentation of interaction with migrants
in Florence. The Mediterranean cannot be glossed
over in food, fashion, and art explorations through
which authors wrestle with the question of what
the Mediterranean is exactly. We hope you enjoy
this issue as much as we did preparing it.
Happy reading,
GRACE JOH & FEDERICO CAGNUCCI

8. 6 * F A L L - W I N T E R 2 0 1 5 | 1 6
F.U.A. Annual Conference
DE RE
MEDITERRANEA
FUA ANNUAL CONFERENCE
FUA's yearly academic conference cohosted by Stony
Brook University (SUNY) was held on December 4-5,
2015, and featured the “De Re Mediterranea” theme.
Panel topics addressed a wide range of
disciplines and issues related to the past and
present, while maintaining a common factor
of relevance to the Mediterranean area.
Issues of migration, politics, history, literature,
Photographs by
SPENCER SISSELMAN
Umberto Gori
Conference Coordinator
Mario Mignone - Stony Brook University
Conference Coordinator
Robert A. Saunders - Farmingdale State CollegeThe entrance of Gabinetto Vieusseux at Palazzo Strozzi where the conference opening was held.

9. FUA ANNUAL CONFERENCE
F A L L - W I N T E R 2 0 1 5 | 1 6 * 7
Lisa Sasson
New York University
Maria Federica Giuliani
President, 5th
Commission
of the Florence City Council
James Lynch
FUA Provost
cuisine, and music discussed by conference
speakers demonstrated how the Mediterranean
has been forever linked to the idea of cultural
clashes and intermingling. Keynote speaker
Lisa Sasson (NYU) and representatives of the
Florentine and Tuscan local governments
inaugurated the 2-day conference with speeches
at the Gabinetto Vieusseux (Palazzo Strozzi).

10. FUA ANNUAL CONFERENCE
8 * F A L L - W I N T E R 2 0 1 5 | 1 6
FUA ANNUAL CONFERENCE
8 * F A L L - W I N T E R 2 0 1 5 | 1 6
PRESS CONFERENCE AT THE FLORENCE CITY HALL
Conference coordinator Umberto Gori and press director Susanna Bausi led the press
conference on December 2 at Palazzo Vecchio. Maria Federica Giuliani, President of the 5th
Commission of the Florence City Council, shared her support on behalf of the municipality.
FUA RESEARCH PRESENTATION
A special pre-conference event presented the work of recent FUA researchers.
A new publication of the FUA Research Series by Prof. Simonetta Ferrini offered
a glimpse of her recently concluded project based on Italo Calvino.
clockwise from top/left: Umberto Gori, FUA Conference Coordinator - Matteo Pretelli, 2015 FUA researcher - Simonetta Ferrini, FUA faculty - Bill Samenfink, Endicott College
bottom/left: Umberto Gori, FUA Conference Coordinator - Maria Federica Giuliani, President, 5th
Commission of the Florence City Council - Susanna Bausi, FUA Press Director
Photographs by
ALESSIA PESARESI
Photographs by
BERNA AYDIN

11. FUA ANNUAL CONFERENCE
F A L L - W I N T E R 2 0 1 5 | 1 6 * 9
bottom/right: Gallery and Exhibition Curating Experiential Learning class (show curators)
STUDENT ART EXHIBITION
The De Re Mediterranea student art exhibition concluded the
first day of the conference. Participating courses were from
FUA's School of Digital Imaging and Visual Arts and Fine Arts
courses from the School of Arts and Sciences. The resulting
work expressed the inspirations behind a semester-long journey
into Mediterranean topics explored via video, computer design,
painting, mixed media, and intercultural communication studies.
Photographs by
SILVIA MANCINI

12. FUA ANNUAL CONFERENCE
10 * F A L L - W I N T E R 2 0 1 5 | 1 6
Rebecca Menezes
Ayan (Community of
Somalia) in her bar in
via Palazzuolo, Florence
digital print, 60 x 42 cm
Santos, Brasil
Universidade Presbiteriana
Mackenzie
PHOTOGRAPHY
Instructor: Simone Pierotti
Spencer Sisselman
Migrants
digital print, 60 x 42 cm
Louisville, Colorado, USA
Shannon Cavarocchi
Angolan Students Dancing their Traditional Kizomba
Dance at the Biblioteca delle Oblate, Florence
digital print, 60 x 42 cm
Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania
Independent

13. FUA ANNUAL CONFERENCE
F A L L - W I N T E R 2 0 1 5 | 1 6 * 11
FINE ARTS
Instructor: Gaetano Cunsolo
FINE ARTS
Instructor: Nicoletta Salomon
Natalie Heddens
Overabundance or Necessity?
oil on canvas, 100 x 150 cm
Edina, Minnesota, USA
University of Northern Iowa
Harley Bode
Lost Women
digital print, 60 x 42 cm
Josh Berendes
Purge
media digital print,
60 x 42 cm
Le Mars, Iowa, USA
University of
Northern Iowa
Carolyn Alessi, Hannah Boyd, Vincent DelaCruz, Tiana Ferrante,
Courtney Keating, Stephanie Leone, Susan Meyer, Alexis Petersen,
Nicholas Redeker, KasMone Vasha Williams, Brooke Wise
Fragments of Blue
paper/canvas, 12 x 12 cm each
GRAPHIC DESIGN
Instructor: Ivka Markovic

14. 12 * F A L L - W I N T E R 2 0 1 5 | 1 6
I
n 1343, Donatello and
Brunelleschi were in Rome, try-
ing to collect and save precious
fragments of the Roman age, main-
ly sculptures, and to gather views
of its architectural ruins. Rome, the
former center of an Empire expand-
ing all over the Mediterranean Sea,
was in shambles at that time, and it
had been so for centuries. After the fall
of the Western Roman Empire, Italy suf-
fered from disgregation, famine, plagues, in-
vasions and pillage from the tribes of Northern
Europe.
Humanism brought the focus back to classical herit-
age, to the Mediterranean roots, to ancient Greece, and,
inevitably, to Rome. Florence, indeed, is roughly 2000 years
old, at least based on its Roman foundation. Excavations have found
Villanovan and Etruscan traces, although before the onset of the Romans in the area, Fie-
sole (Etruscan “Vipsul”) was the main Etruscan center, while what is now Florence presum-
ably was just a wooden bridge where the Arno banks narrow – i.e. approximately where
Ponte Vecchio stands right now.
The Roman town Fluentia, traditionally established in 1st
century BCE by the legions of Cae-
sar, seemingly was born as a Roman military camp site, and later evolved in a town where
the former officers could spend the rest of their lives. There were baths, a forum, a theater,
an amphitheater, a market square, city walls, temples: all the landmarks that characterized
a city as established by Romans.
Nowadays, Roman Florence apparently has disappeared, in favor of much newer looks dating
back to Middle Ages and the Renaissance. However, its traces are everywhere in city center:
the motto of this search could be “Cerca Trova,” just like Vasari wrote in his frescoes in the
Salone dei Cinquecento inside Palazzo Vecchio, with possible reference to the lost parts of
frescoes of the Battle of Anghiari by Leonardo and the Battle of Cascina by Michelangelo.
This search for the Roman heritage, however, should start neither from the various stat-
From Fluentia
to FlorenceISABELLA MARTINI
TRACING
FLORENCE’S
MEDITERRANEAN
HERITAGE
THROUGH ITS
NATIONAL
ARCHEOLOGICAL
MUSEUM
Photographs by
the author

15. HERITAGE & ENVIRONMENT
13 * F A L L - W I N T E R 2 0 1 5 | 1 6
ues under the Loggia dei Lanzi, nor from the
statues lined up in the corridors of the Uffi-
zi Gallery, simply because they came after
the renewed passion of the Humanist intel-
lectuals and the Medici family for classical
art. The actual traces of the connection of
ancient Florence with Rome and with the
Mediterranean needs to be explored start-
ing from the National Archaeological Muse-
um of Florence.
Located just next to the Spedale degli In-
nocenti and overlooking Piazza Santissima
Annunziata, it is one of the most relevant
archaeological museums in Italy. It was es-
tablished in the second half of the 19th
cen-
tury, following the nationalistic trend, and
at the same time to gather the collections of
Etruscan and Roman antiquities of the
Medici and the Habsburg-Lorraine families,
which were gradually moved from the Uffi-
zi where nowadays only the statues remain.
The museum displays the best of archaeolog-
ical finds around Tuscany, highlighting its
strong Etruscan heritage, and its connection
to the Mediterranean. According to recent
research, the Etruscans, though mysterious
because very little has been left about them,
originated out of both local populations es-
tablished more or less in what is nowadays
Tuscany, and of people coming from the
eastern Mediterranean, i.e. Greek, Egyptians,
Phoenicians, and even further east.
This is why the museum originated as Etrus-
can museum in 1870, opening up to incorpo-
rate a Roman and a Greek collection, as well
as the pre-existing Egyptian Museum. This
one boasts a collection second only to Turin,
thanks also to the expedition promoted by
the Grand Duke Peter Leopold Habsburg-Lor-
raine, in which Ippolito Rosellini and
François Champollion took part; the two are
among the worldwide founders of Egyptolo-
gy. In the many halls of the museum, visitors
can admire the delicateness of Etruscan and
Egyptian jewelry, the powerful assertiveness
of Roman bronze sculpture, the intricate
figurative harmony of Greek ceramics, the
colorful hieroglyphs of the Egyptian Book of
the Dead, and have a glimpse into remote or-
dinary lives of people through the items that
once belonged to them and have survived
them by thousands of years.
Among the most representative items on
display not to be missed – while around one
hundred thousand are waiting to find their
place and temporarily stored – is the Chi-
mera of Arezzo, the iconic Etruscan bronze
sculpture of the monstrous fire-breathing
hybrid creature, slain by Bellerophon ac-
cording to the Greek mythology. Found by
chance in mid-1550s, it was immediately
claimed by the Duke of Florence Cosimo I
for his collection.
Another item which is worth the visit is the
colorful sarcophagus of Larthia Seianti, a
wealthy woman from Chiusi (a town on the
borders between Tuscany and Umbria), who
is caught in the everyday act of disclosing
the veil of her rich dress before opening up
her mirror. Further items can be the Arringa-
tore and the Idolino di Pesaro, bronze statues
that, together with many others on display
at the museum, like the Greek Kouros, or the
Minerva of Arezzo, have been the source of
inspiration for artists for centuries.
The National Archaeological Museum, par-
ticularly for students who have come to ex-
perience Florence, should be planned as the
first landmark to explore. Both to establish
a true connection to the city of Florence,
and to fully understand why, at a time when
Rome was in shambles, Florentines felt the
urge to reconnect to their past.
HOW TO VISIT THE
NATIONAL
ARCHEOLOGICAL
MUSEUM
Piazza Santissima Annunziata 9, Firenze
Monday: 8:30am - 2pm
Tues-Fri: 8:30am - 7pm
Sat-Sun: 8:30am - 2pm
Closed Jan 1, May 1, Dec 25
Regular Ticket: e 4.00
Reduced Ticket: e 2.00
For further information call:
Firenze Musei at 055-294883
The museum displays the best of
archaeological finds around Tuscany,
highlighting its strong Etruscan heritage,
and its connection to the Mediterranean.

16. HERITAGE & ENVIRONMENT
14 * F A L L - W I N T E R 2 0 1 5 | 1 6
ANCIENT ROME IN FLORENCE
WILLIAM (MAX) REIK, EMILIANA OMICK, CLARA BALESTRIERI,
CATHERINE WICKMAN, ALICIA MYER
W
hen settling into a semester studying abroad in Florence, we
can slowly learn the lay of the land. We recognize street names,
know how to get from class to our apartments, and begin to
feel less like tourists and more like residents. We work up the courage
to speak with the local Florentine or order a cornetto and cappucci-
no at the nearest coffee bar. However, we were startled to learn that
there is another Florence lying just beyond the one we were getting
to know. This Florence is the Roman version of the city, a grid that
the modern day city was built upon. Occasionally, the vestiges of this
city peek out from beneath the current one, allowing us a glimpse
into Roman Florence. There are so many little signs everywhere, small
things that one could easily overlook. It’s easy to imagine that many
people tour Florence with simply no idea of the influence of the Ro-
man empire. We all walk by the A Piedi Nudi Nel Parco clothing store
many times on Via Proconsolo, never noticing that beyond the glass
floor are Roman ruins just waiting to be noticed. Turning the corner
down Via Torta, the street seems to bend in an odd way. This could
be easily attributed to meaningless irregularity, nothing out of the
ordinary. However, this is actually the site of the old Roman amphi-
theatre, where thousands of citizens were entertained for years. It has
since been filled in with apartments, but still retains half of its orig-
inal shape. The residents of this street are literally living alongside
history. Another remnant of the Roman Florence is the pillar erected
in the Piazza della Repubblica. This marks the direct center (forum)
of the original Roman city and the two roads that intersected there,
the cardo (north-south) and decumanus (east-west). This is the center
of the orderly grid that the city is based on. It is easy to miss because
the original city walls represent only a small part of the current city.
When examining Florence beyond its current exterior, a whole differ-
ent world emerges for us to explore.
GOTHIC FLORENCE:
FROM FRANCE TO ITALY
ANDREW CORONATO, SINEAD GILMAN, HILLARY BASSETT, GRANT SCHEYNOST
G
othic architecture can be found all throughout Florence, but
how did it get here? We decided to do a little research. It turns
out that Gothic architecture was fairly slow to arrive ini Italy.
Although Gothic architecture became popular in France around the
middle of the 12th
century, it took nearly a hundred years before it
fully emerged in Italy. We uncovered a key factor behind its eventu-
al emergence: the birth of new religious orders. In the 13th
century,
two new monastic orders revolutionized the use of churches and
monasteries: the Dominicans and the Franciscans. Both orders re-
newed a focus on humanity within religion. Rather than stay shut
away in their monasteries and simply pray all day like much of me-
dieval monastic life, both the Dominicans and Franciscans shared
their faith through preaching to fellow Christians. As a result, Italy
experienced a sudden influx of churchgoers. Larger congregations
called for larger churches; and, finally the influence of pre-existing
Gothic architecture in the North began to shape new churches all
over Italy. The interior of Basilica of Santa Maria Novella, with its
towering pointed arches, stands today as a prime example of 13th
century Italian Gothic.
Throughout the History of Italian Renaissance class in Fall 2015,
students were asked to create a multimedia journal to report their
Photographs by
ALICE YE-JI KIM
Roman ruins at the A Piedi Nudi nel Parco clothing store. Via Torta, site of the Roman amphitheater.

17. HERITAGE & ENVIRONMENT
15 * F A L L - W I N T E R 2 0 1 5 | 1 6
MEDIEVAL FLORENCE:
FLORENCE AND THE TOWERS OF POWER
TARA PHILLIPS
D
uring a class field activity around the city center of Florence, the
sky was overcast and the weather was unusually rainy. We each
pulled out our umbrellas, and all 38 of us shuffled down the nar-
row cobblestone streets, eager to learn something new. Peering up
into cloudy sky, I noticed two moderate-sized towers looming above
us. Each tower was a little taller than the buildings around them,
made of sturdy stone, and had a ragged rocky edge on the top. Little
did I know that these towers hold a fascinating piece of Florentine
architectural history.
During the 11th
century, Florentine nobles would build towers to
symbolize their power and wealth. These towers were also used for
military defense and control over a section of the city. Nobles, re-
ferred to as magnates, were constantly fighting with one another.
Blood feuds were very common (think Shakespeare’s Romeo and Ju-
liet). A group of merchant citizens, called the popolo, stood up to
the unruly behavior of the nobles. The popolo were able to rise up
against the nobles and form their own government, lead by the Pri-
mo Popolo, by the year 1250. One of the first commandments under
this new leadership was that noble towers could not be taller than
96 feet: any of the noble’s towers that were taller than that had the
tops cut clean off. Nobles were no longer able to display their mili-
tary power through the height of their buildings. Through this de-
cree, the popolo showed that their new tower, the Palazzo dei Priori
(later to be known as Palazzo Vecchio), was the tallest, most impres-
sive, and most powerful one in the city.
It was this significant shift in social
structurE during these terrible times
that ended up paving the way
for the Renaissance.
findings on the historical traces of pre-Renaissance Florence while
exploring the city. Below is a selection of their contributions.
— Isabella Martini
Roman pillar in Piazza della Repubblica. Gothic interior of the Santa Maria Novella Basilica.

18. HERITAGE & ENVIRONMENT
16 * F A L L - W I N T E R 2 0 1 5 | 1 6
DARK TIMES IN MEDIEVAL FLORENCE
CAMERON COLLINS, JACK GIEGERICH, THOMAS BANNAN,
MATT DEL ROSSO, JOHN HURLEY
T
he Middle Ages in Florence were riddled with political conflict.
The Florentine Guelphs and Sienese Ghibellines were in con-
stant battle because Siena did not want Florence to prosper. In
the 11th
century, the seaside was necessary for commerce to prosper
so Florence was at a disadvantage, but through adaptability Florence
was able to succeed. Wool cloth became high in demand in the Med-
iterranean area, and although wool could not be found in Florence,
the Arno River was the perfect place to wash the wool into the prod-
uct that was sold. People started traveling to Flanders and England to
bring back the raw wool, which they fashioned into the product sold
all around the Mediterranean. A credit system was arranged to pay for
the raw materials and all main roads started to run through Florence.
Between 1200-1300 Florence tripled in size to 120,000 inhabitants.
Then the fighting started in the 13th
century because of the pros-
perity of Florence. In 1250, the primo popolo drew out the podestà
and banned nobles from government. This lasted for 10 years. In the
1280s, the secondo popolo was enforced by six elected priors, which
then became eight. The priors wanted to enforce the dominance of
the republic. They made all nobles cut down their towers, except for
Palazzo Vecchio where they exercised political power, the Badia, and
the Bargello.
While the 1200s showed great wealth in Florence, the 1300s brought
in a darker period. In 1304 there was a great fire that destroyed a
large part of the city and in 1333 a massive flood put Florence al-
most entirely underwater.
Then Bardi and Peruzzi, the wealthy banker families in Florence
went bankrupt which hurt the economy and in 1348 the Black Death
overtook Florence. The Middle Ages for Florence were a bit of a roller
coaster, but this lead to the Renaissance and an age of enlighten-
ment (See next article).
THE POSITIVE IMPACT OF
THE GREAT 14TH
CENTURY CRISES
MEAGHAN CALLAHAN
T
he crises of the 14th
century impacted almost every aspect of
society in Italy, as seen through the 1333 Flood of Florence, the
Little Ice Age, The Hundred Years War, and the Black Death. As
a result of these ongoing disasters, the population dropped signifi-
cantly, production of goods slowed, unemployment rose, and invest-
ments were lost.
During these difficult times, social behavior considerably changed
as a result. People began to care more about themselves, even aban-
doning their own family members for survival. Those who were dy-
ing flooded their inheritances into the Church for some last hopes
of salvation, while those who survived focused less on God and
more on themselves and began to place mankind as the new center
of the universe.
It was this significant shift in social structure during these terrible
times that ended up paving the way for the Renaissance. The reshuf-
fling of society allowed new people to step up and present new ideas
and contribute better to different occupations. People also began
to think empirically, contributing better to science and medicine
than ever before. There was also an infusion of wealth that led to
the funding of the arts, specifically by churches such as the great
Santa Croce.
It must have seemed hopeless at the time, but with hindsight, it is
fascinating to see just how much these terrible crises were able to
contribute to one of the greatest periods of Western Civilization.
Basilica of Santa Croce.Palazzo Vecchio tower.

19. HERITAGE & ENVIRONMENT
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T
he Etruscan civilization existed from the 8th
century BC to
around the 3rd
or 2nd
century BC. Due to the lack of information
about this mighty civilization, there’s debate about the true or-
igins of the Etruscan people. Some believe the Etruscans came from
Turkey and settled in Italy. DNA tests hint toward another possi-
bility. The Etruscans may have been native Italians. Either way, the
Etruscans’ culture was advanced. This forgotten civilization highly
influenced the birth of Rome.
Much of the Etruscan culture is lost to the wind when Rome, their
own former city, absorbed Tuscany. Most of what we know is from
the amazingly detailed burials mounds. The Etruscans often painted
vases, similar to the Greeks, and had movement in their art unprece-
dented for the era. The jewelry found tells us the Etruscans were the
finest goldsmiths of the time. As Florence reigns in gold and silver
workers, so did its predecessor.
The literature of the Etruscans is only found now on the funeral
inscriptions and referenced by the Romans. The Etruscan domina-
tion of Italy eventually began to decline, and Rome came to power
as the dominating city-state. The Romans conquered Tuscany and
destroyed many pieces of Etruscan history. Thankfully, the Romans
absorbed much of the Etruscan culture. It is believed the Etruscans
passed the knowledge of the arch to the Romans. Also, the Etruscans,
unlike the Greeks, allowed women outside of the house. In fact, the
wealthy woman wore the same attire as the wealthy men. The pieces
and themes of Etruscan art can be seen in Roman art later in the
decades.
Sadly, the Romans also absorbed the extreme violence of the Etrus-
cans. The extremely religious Etruscans believed in human sacrifice.
After the death of a slave owner, the slaves were forced to sacrifice
each other in a spectacle of one-to-one combat. This is the foundation
for the atrocities committed at the coliseum as gladiatorial battles.
On a brighter note, although the Etruscan civilization is difficult to
still see, you can hear it in Florence. Some believe the Florentine pro-
nunciation of the “c” constant when between vowels derives from
the Etruscans. While walking the street, you hear the sound of “h”
more often than that of “c”. Florentines pronounce C’s and H’s be-
tween vowels. For example, “la casa” is pronounced “la hasa.” Is this
an Etruscan influence? It’s immensely possible.
The Etruscan civilization cannot be recorded without some ques-
tioning. We know only what the dead can tell us and what the Ro-
mans wished for us to know. The mystery of the Etruscans will never
completely be solved. Thankfully, they will not be forgotten. We can
see the civilization in the Florentine dialect and in the Roman civ-
ilization. The Etruscan culture did affect the entire Mediterranean
when the Romans absorbed it. The Etruscans might feel forgotten,
but their impact is undeniable.
Visit Rome and marvel at the wonders of the Roman civilization – the forum, the Pantheon,
the Colosseum. The ancient ability to create such structures came at a cost. While Rome
conquered most of the Mediterranean, it often destroyed and absorbed the conquered.
The neighboring civilization to the North had a culture and language all their own.
The Etruscan civilization laid roots in the region now named after them – Tuscany.
SARAH WALLEREtruscans: the forgotten
civilization of the
Mediterranean Photographs by
FEDERICO CAGNUCCI
Etruscan tombs - Archeological Park of Populonia (Livorno), Tuscany.

20. HERITAGE & ENVIRONMENT
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W
ater is life; water is culture and influence. Water is the fun-
damental base of society. The transparent liquid known for
cradling world civilizations provides beauty through its com-
plex diversity. The turquoise currents carry mixtures of cultures cre-
ating a physical and metaphorical crossroad between many people.
Water is a symbol of creativity, a source of life and wisdom bringing
people and nature together.
For those who live in proximity, they understand and appreciate the
importance of the Mediterranean. “The Mediterranean has played
and keeps on playing a fundamental role in the lives of most south-
ern Europeans,” says Alessandro Bruno, a Roman native. The sea
continuously influences exceptional people who make astounding
contributions to history in art, technology, literature, and science.
The lifestyle of the Mediterranean is constructed and centered on
the sea. For many Italians, including Alessandro’s family, visiting
Mediterranean beaches was part of growing up, offering an easy es-
cape from the hot summer heat. Nevertheless, the Mediterranean
Sea is very fragile and constantly threatened by human activities.
For many Mediterranean people, leaving the beach with hands and
feet covered in tar is and was a common occurrence. “Most of the
Romans go to the coastal cities of Anzio and Nettuno since they
are so close, and the fact that there was the possibility of occasion-
ally stepping in tar seeping through the sand didn’t really phase
anyone,” says Alessandro. The sea faces numerous environmental
concerns, specifically pollution. Mirella Sarti, FUA Professor and En-
vironmental Engineer, says the biggest pollution problems for the
Mediterranean stem from oil, gas, and plastic. Found throughout
the water, maritime tar results from the transportation and usage
of oil products. The spilled or discharged oil left in the sea turns into
tar. Unfortunately, the sea has a history of horrible oil spills.
Nonetheless, this problem is only getting worse. The Mediterranean
Sea accounts for a good portion of the global oil tanker traffic, and
environmental scientists estimate vessels spill 635,000 tons of crude
oil in the sea every year. “Since my parents always knew about the
tar issue, they always carried some cotton balls and nail polish re-
mover to get the tar off our feet and hands,” says Alessandro. Pollu-
tion has not only seeped into the hands and feet of the Mediterrane-
an people but into their everyday lives, and sadly the Mediterranean
Sea still remains one of the least protected regions in the world.
Due to the significance of the Mediterranean Sea, it is important for
people to come together to fight future pollution. “We are losing bio-
diversity, and this means that the whole system is becoming weaker
environmentally but also economically and socially,” says Mirella.
Combating further damage will take a collective effort from many
nations. With the collaboration of environmental associations and
Institutions, together with governments and researchers, people are
working together to force the switch to renewable energies.
However, it is hard for the European Union and other agencies to
crack down on companies and individuals discarding dangerous
waste into the sea. Therefore, people are starting a new approach
through education. “There should be more initiatives in coastal ar-
eas and in schools to teach people the precious value that we, as
Mediterranean people, hold in our hands,” says Alessandro. Many
locals believe teaching younger generations awareness and proper
care of the environment is the only way to completely eliminate
pollution. Mirella has even taken the first few steps into her own
hands by teaching environmental education in local primary and
high schools. Those who understand and respect the importance
of the Mediterranean Sea actively spread awareness with a posi-
tive outlook. For many people like Mirella and Alessandro, they are
hopeful for a sustainable future and the improvement of the Med-
iterranean Sea.
The Mediterranean Sea faces extreme environmental pollution influencing the lives and future
of many nations. The Mediterraneans must stand as one to defend their beloved sea.
MEDITERRANEAN WATER: THE MOTHER OF CULTURE
ERICA KAVANAGH Photograph by
JOSH BERENDES
Unfortunately, the sea has
a history of horrible oil spills.

21. 19 * F A L L - W I N T E R 2 0 1 5 | 1 6
T
his week I met Ayan.
One day, in January from 1991, Ayan
was back in her hometown, in Soma-
lia, waiting for her final grades to graduate
from medical school. That way she could
live her dream of helping people. Howev-
er, those results never came. What came,
instead, was the beginning of a civil war
throughout the country. There was no more
study, no more freedom, no more care, and
no more dreams.
Luckily, she managed to escape to Kenya.
Even though it was not a mundane paradise,
at least there the war was not so powerful.
Alone in a new place, with no prospects of
study or job, she thought the only way to
survive would be by getting married. There-
fore, she did. She had a son and a daughter.
As time went by and the wars spread across
the continent and didn’t seem to have any
chance of ending soon, they actually seemed
to get more and more intense. Ayan, now a
mother of two, worried about the future of
her family all the time. She searched for a
solution so that at least they could survive
and have the opportunities she never had.
In 1999 she managed to come to Italy with
her two kids.
“For the first time in a very long time I felt
happy,” she says while insisting I have an-
other cup of tea. When she got to the land of
pasta and pizza she sensed welcome, even
though she didn’t speak the language.
She then started to learn Italian and in six
months found a job as a caretaker of an
elderly couple from 2000 until 2007. After
leaving that contract, she really wanted to
work by herself and at the same time help
people in some way.
She founded a little establishment on
the street where she lives, Via Palazzuolo,
known for a concentrated migrant com-
munity. She opened a little bar there that
serves traditional African dishes. Further-
more, at the back of the shop, she created a
prayer place for Muslims and those of any
religion who don’t have their own spaces in
the city. She created a peace zone. A little
piece of home.
Everybody knows her on the street and she
knows everybody. Their days only start af-
ter they exchange morning greetings. So-
malians, Nigerians, Japanese, Indians, Chile-
ans, all of their smiles fill up Via Palazzuolo.
“This is what makes me happy. All of these
cultures living peacefully and in harmony.
If that’s possible here why not everywhere
else?” She also tells me how great she thinks
it is that my friends and I are able to come
here to study and experience a new culture,
that she loves seeing all these different and
young faces, and that someday this will
happen in African cities as well.
REBECCA MENEZES, JAMIE PETRAGNANI, ANNEMARIE MALADY
S O C I A L M O SA I C S
The following stories compose a Mediterranean social mosaic of immigrant
hardship, fleeting personal ideas of what the area represents, and how the
Mediterranean can begin to permeate our lives, even the ones back home on the
other side of the world. FUA students capture the voices of diverse individuals
who live in, dream about, or are passing through the Mediterranean.
AYAN IN VIA PALAZZUOLO
REBECCA MENEZES
Photograph by
the author
Somalians, Nigerians, Japanese, Indians, Chileans,
all of their smiles fill up Via Palazzuolo.

22. COMMUNITY
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MEDITERRANEAN
DREAMS:
TRUTH AND FICTION
JAMIEPETRAGNANI
When you hear Mediterranean,
what do you think?
“Olives. Nothing but olives for miles and
miles. Maybe a villa in the middle of it all,
with no doors, obviously. All the doors have
been replaced with gossamer curtains. Very
romantic.”
The 21-year-old woman, never having been
outside the USA, has her idea of the Medi-
terranean: romantic, fields full of olives
stretch out until the ends of the Earth. The
air is warm, a light breeze drifts by, and not
a cloud can be found in the sky. Perhaps new
lovers meet by chance and fall in love at first
sight. Very storybook.
When you hear Mediterranean,
what do you think?
“Well Greece of course! If I think of the Med-
iterranean, I’m going back home. I want to
be out on the boat, the smell of salt in the
air and the wind on my face, maybe taking
a dip into the water. Every shade of blue sur-
rounding me. Its beautiful.”
The 57-year-old Greek man, raised outside
of Athens, returns home with his idea of
the Mediterranean. He disappears into the
ocean, sinking beneath the clear water to
become one with the sea. The smell of the
salt sinks deep into his skin as all the blue
washes across his face. Very comforting.
When you hear Mediterranean,
what do you think?
“My baby; I took her when she was just 14.
Brilliant, watching your child experience
everything for the first time. She loved Italy:
the grand nature of the buildings, the peo-
ple always moving about, walking through
history everywhere you go. We have that in
London, but not like they do in Italy.”
The 45-year-old mother, British in both
nature and nationality, lives through her
child to experience the Mediterranean. She
watches ancient ruins, cracked cathedrals,
and worn out streets come to life through
the power of a young mind. The conflicts of
the Crusades or the politics of the Catholic
Church unfold before her, but with the inno-
cent touch of a child. New and thriving with
life. Very exciting.
Each of them holds a different view. Each
is filled with personal experience, emotion,
and a wide idea of what “Mediterranean”
means. They are all convinced they’re cor-
rect, that they have cracked the code. Each
scene is true but not fact. A wide world of
Mediterranean waits to be discovered, crav-
ing attention. Like an iceberg, where what
has been discovered is only the tip com-
pared to what floats beneath the surface.
Very enticing.
Observing families talking in their own tongue,
all somehow similar and yet beautifully unique,
brings me a small amount of comfort.

23. 21 * F A L L - W I N T E R 2 0 1 5 | 1 6
THOUSANDS OF STORIES
ANNEMARIEMALADY
“You have no control / who lives / who dies / who tells your story?”
— Lin-Manuel Miranda
T
he warmth of the Italian sun penetrates our windows and
streams over our beds, casting them in a dull yellowish glow;
it is quiet.
In Pittsburgh, the wind whips around my house and pulses against
our screen doors as it pulls the trees in every direction. One of the
little boys in the class I assist at the local school in Florence this se-
mester leans forward, his eyes wide. “Is America beautiful?” he asks
in rushed Italian. In that moment I only remember the heavy rain
and looming dark clouds that nearly touch the rivers of my home; I
smile. Yes, I think, my home is very beautiful.
Walking from Santa Maria Novella, the endless blue of a Florentine
sky stretching far beyond the mountainous hills beyond the city, I
find myself packed in between what seems like hundreds of people.
It takes all of my might to push past and find an open space on the
dingy sidewalks.
One of the girls at service draws a picture of a small village, but
there are no people to fill the houses. When asked, she shrugs and
says there were a lot of people that left when she did. The heaviness
of Florence’s dense streets increase and envelop me whole.
The countryside of Italy spans and spans and spans—there is noth-
ing but green as the train rocks us. In my father’s car, packed with
food and gifts and clothing, we maneuver between Pennsylvania
and Ohio’s rolling hills and mountains; around us, the road narrows
and squeezes the truck, suffocating us as we wait to emerge from
the darkened mountain tunnels. Above us, the Mediterranean sky
and sun and what little clouds exist in a space filled by sea sit lazily
while we rush by.
Il Duomo looms ahead; reds and greens and blues and whites color
the yellowish-brown neighboring flats and cause me to stop and
stare for a moment. A hand, brown, worn, holding cheaply made
goods, interrupts the vision. I look into green eyes and shake my
head before quickly walking away.
In Baltimore, in a wide classroom illuminated by flickering fluores-
cent lights, I sit in a too-small seat with my new friend. There is
silence and her hand, brown and small and soft, sits in mine; she
is crying. Today, she has decided to never return to Afghanistan. I
look back, not to the splendor of Santa Maria del Fiore, but to the
dozens of men lining the cobblestones, offering hands out to those
passing idly by.
There is a definite charm to the Italian language: the emotiveness
of the speaker, the glint in their eyes and the enthused use of their
hands. There is a joy there. I hear pieces of Greek, Spanish, Arabic,
and languages I cannot detect in every Italian city I’ve visited. It is
in these moments that I feel most out of place; while I speak Italian,
I miss the familiarity and comfort my native tongue brings. Ob-
serving families talking in their own tongue, all somehow similar
and yet beautifully unique, brings me a small amount of comfort.
Small children laughing and chasing each other, their words lost in
a garble I can’t understand; couples murmuring quietly as they hold
each other close; visitors buying postcards and memories; a man
perched on a crumbling wall, talking casually to what looks like an
old friend. I decide to call my mother.
Italian evenings bring hardly any chill, but the dimness of a usu-
ally vibrant sky helps the Arno River, with its silk waves and silent
brushes against ancient bridges, shimmer pleasantly. The moon is
high above my flat, illuminating its yellow face with pale, sallow
white. The sounds of a city filled with voices stretching across cen-
turies and nations echo outside my window. A small bit of artificial
light from a flat across the street seeps past the shutters. It holds my
attention for a moment. It tells another story.
Video stillframes from
Florence, A Multiethnic Mosaic
created by Videomaking course students
RAMZI MALOUF, MARGHERITA INNOCENTI
SPENCER SISSELMAN

24. 22 * F A L L - W I N T E R 2 0 1 5 | 1 6
T
he blue stretched before me, unending
blue. Pricks of light sparkled on its sur-
face. In the distance, patches of sun-
light broke through the clouds and fell on
the waves like a spotlight from heaven. I felt
like I could reach out and touch those sunny
glades. I wanted to be out on that water, out
in the blue.
So this was the Mediterranean. It was the
color everyone promised.
She was a woman. She lay before me, her
arms open not in welcome but in solitude,
with the impression that she had been float-
ing here for a long time. She minded her own
business. I was an observer to her home.
I had come to hike Cinque Terre’s trails and
visit the five tiny, panoramic towns in Lig-
uria. But I was captivated by her, with the
sea, with the being that we name in order
to refer to whole countries and cultures.
The Mediterranean. I stood on the cliffside,
at the point where our domains met, and
gazed at her.
I don’t know what I expected from her, but
all I got was silence and an ache in my chest.
There were no flashing colors, no smell of
food, no music, no houses, no people. It was
only the Mediterranean, a sea that brushed
against a cliff, alone and blue.
I couldn’t move from the trail. I had to watch
her. And the longer I looked out at the blue
loneliness, at those empty spotlights of sun,
the longer I listened to the waves that sighed
from below with no one to talk to, the more
I just saw a sea. And her loneliness infected
me.
I forced myself to continue to hike, but I
couldn’t free myself from that feeling. My
soul seemed to have extended out of me and
fused with hers. What bothered me was that
I knew something was missing.
The Mediterranean is a sea, an ancient wom-
an, but she is only water. It is us that help
make her come alive, the people who live
around her. The ones who create art, fami-
lies, life — they are also the Mediterranean.
We ask her to join us, she takes our hands,
and we fall in love. Or perhaps it’s the oth-
er way around. But regardless, I know it’s
true. For when we approach her in a solitary
place, like I did, we can catch her in her si-
lent, blue loneliness, and we in turn search
for life along her shores. Neither of us are
complete without the other.
We, humanity, are in love with a sea. Per-
haps the reason why I was drawn to her, why
we are all drawn to her, is because we are not
so different from her. Deep down, we are all
seas that catch the light and drift along and
wait for something. We want to join with
others and create life. Otherwise we are just
a lonely blue.
LONELY BLUE
JESS MITCHELL
The Mediterranean has been forever associated with the
color blue. The following articles reflect on the shades,
tonalities, feelings, and meanings of the Mediterranean as
experienced by FUA student writers during recent travels.
Is the Mediterranean
BLUE?Photographs by
SAMANTHA HENSEL
Travel

25. TRAVEL
23 * F A L L - W I N T E R 2 0 1 5 | 1 6
BLUE GRANDEUR
SAMANTHA HENSEL
If I had a boat,
and could sail to the center of this endless ocean,
I would get lost in the blues,
and become the vast cerulean skies,
each morning born new,
glowing seamlessly,
no fear of depth.
I’d be the gentle caress of the cyan seas,
tickled turquoise with light,
reaching from shore to shore,
unifying everything as one.
A slumbering giant,
a mirror to reflect upon,
or a lapping reminder,
that everything may be unpredictable.
I’d become the gradient of changing color,
each shade of blue growing deeper,
creating a dance on the rolling waves,
a waltz into an ultramarine night,
and sprinkle diamonds like sequins,
shimmering against a blue that’s almost black,
yet illuminated by millions,
illuminated by hope.
Blue is the grandeur that surrounds us,
not heartbreak on a lonely night,
nor the dark places our minds wander to in hopelessness.
It is the arms of the world holding us together,
the largest open spaces we see,
and if you’re feeling small,
vulnerable,
sail yourself to the Mediterranean sea,
and discover what feeling blue really means.
BLUES ABROAD
KATHERINE MEIS
T
he color blue has been the strongest association that I have
formed with my study abroad experience. Blue’s varying shades
have been my constant companion over the semester. I have
found that throughout both my best and worst travel experiences,
blue follows me like a comforting friend. At home I have always
been fond of the vast and constant nature of the blue sky and the
blue ocean, but I have never found such refuge in the color as I have
since venturing into a foreign land. The color blue haunts me in a
calming and reassuring manner. The bright blue sky looks over me
in each new country I enter while simultaneously keeping watch
over my loved ones at home. The turquoise and teal tides rise and
fall in front of me and serve as a connector, rather than barrier, to
the shores of my home on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean.
Blue forms a bond between the familiar and the foreign, but also
between the foreign and the foreign. In each new city or town I vis-
it on the Mediterranean, blue is there, waiting and welcoming. In
Florence, grey blue rolls down from the sky in the early morning as
a dense fog that settles over the mountains. In small towns on the
Italian and French Riviera, the sea and the sky are only discernable
by varying tints and sporadic subtle shades of green. To an onlooker
with squinted eyes or imperfect vision, the sky and the sea may
even appear as one expansive canvas of splotchy blue hues. In a
seemingly impossible condition, the Mediterranean Sea can simul-
taneously maintain its crystal clear demeanor while possessing a
rainbow of pure blues. The daytime sky, though untouchable and
uncontainable, somehow contains in itself every color of light blue
imaginable. The Mediterranean sky in the night is the darker and
deeper reflection of its daytime self, challenging the sea as to which
is deeper.
Blue forms a bond between
the familiar and the foreign,
but also between the foreign and the foreign.

26. TRAVEL
24 * F A L L - W I N T E R 2 0 1 5 | 1 6
Photograph by DAVID ANDRE WEISS

27. TRAVEL
25 * F A L L - W I N T E R 2 0 1 5 | 1 6

28. TRAVEL
26 * F A L L - W I N T E R 2 0 1 5 | 1 6
F
or thousands of years, Sicily has been a
hotbed for cultural syncretism. On a re-
cent trip to Palermo with three friends,
I was able to visit Palazzo dei Normanni, the
Royal Palace, which is a Mediterranean mi-
crocosm of blended cultures. The architec-
ture of the palace borrows from Byzantine,
Arab, and Romanesque influences to form a
uniquely Mediterranean structure. Within
the palace, I witnessed a magnificent and
eye-opening room – the Palatine Chapel.
When I first stepped foot into the chapel, I
was instantly taken back by the beautiful
Byzantine gold, which dominates the walls
and Arabic arches of the room. But then a
realization hit me – it was all mosaic! From
the floor to the ceiling, intricate mosaic dec-
orations covered the chapel, forming imag-
es of stories from the Old Testament and
the lives of saints. Above the altar loomed
an overpowering image of Christ Pantokra-
tor with the one hand forming the sign of
peace and the word of God in the other. Un-
derneath him sat the Virgin Mary flanked
by Saint Catherine and Saint John. What I
found most incredible was how even the
every inch of the running arches was cov-
ered in ornate tiles to form medallions of
various saints.
How many hands did it take to decorate this
sparking chapel? How many tiles were indi-
vidually placed across its walls? I imagined
two dozen workers throughout the chap-
el patiently selecting the right color and
shape of the tiles to form the pious faces
and figures of the encrusted saints. Where
had these workers come from? Did they re-
sent their tedious work or find joy in the
anticipation of the final design? These ques-
tions raced through my head as I traveled
back through time to when the walls of the
chapel were bare and some brilliant artist
planned out what images would go where.
I have been to the Sistine Chapel and have
marveled at the genius of Michelangelo,
but being in the Palatine Chapel was even
more magnificent in my opinion. Being able
to reach out and touch the individual tiles
connected to the rich history and genius of
the room was truly remarkable.
Photograph from pixabay.com
PALAZZO DEI NORMANNI
Palermo’s Prism
ANDREW CORONATO

29. TRAVEL
27 * F A L L - W I N T E R 2 0 1 5 | 1 6
FOR THE TRAVEL DREAMER: GREECE
LAUREN BERRY
T
he destination on the screen says ”Ath-
ens” and it's not what matter to me. It’s
the country that I’m going to that is
driving my emotions.
Greece.
I’ve spent half of my life wishing to go
there. It’s been the same dream filled with
little boats, pita bread, fish, and cliff jump-
ing. So when I think of Greece, I’m actual-
ly dreaming of the islands. I’m especially
dreaming of a particular little island that
I’ve loved from afar, Santorini.
The blue-roofed, adobe-style houses enter
my brain. I force myself to go back to sleep,
of course unable to do so, recalling the tales
of Greek mythology to see how much I can
remember.
A month later I’m there. Floating high
above the Mediterranean, my head liter-
ally in the clouds, I land in Santorini. I’ve
just spent my first few days experiencing
the Greek city life in Athens and now I’ll
stay seaside for the rest of my journey. The
words “I’ve made it” sound weird now, to
the dreamer that had once envisioned this
place for so long.
A man stands with a sign saying “Villa
Manos” and ushers me into the car. Sudden-
ly we’re riding on roads with little twists
and turns and views of the ocean that seem
so unreal. Those blue roofed houses appear,
forcing that dream of mine to stare at me
right in the face.
I sit down for breakfast and it’s the best or-
ange juice that I’ve ever had in my life. May-
be it’s the ocean view at my hotel or maybe
it’s that I believe that the juice is freshly
squeezed, but it really is the best orange
juice. Since I’m on an island every emo-
tion is intensified, every taste, every smell,
everything you’ve ever felt comes to you all
at once. Those passions, stories, and dreams
that you’ve been hiding come out from the
dark and resurface once again.
I ride a donkey down to the water, wearing
white flowy pants and an armful of brace-
lets I try my hardest to look like a local. I
take one look at the Mediterranean and it
brings me to tears. All those years of wish-
ing, and hoping, and wondering about this
place and now I’m finally here. No other
days could top this feeling.
Sitting at a café in Oia, the main town of
Santorini, I wait for the sunset. It’s a mix
of pink, orange, and yellow and everyone’s
excited about its presence. I journal the mo-
ment, knowing it’s about to leave me and
my words are all I really have. It takes one
last bow before it dives behind cliffs to re-
turn tomorrow. It is then that I realize how
lucky I am to have seen it.
For dreams do come true, and tomorrow is
a new day to make those dreams happen.
Photographs by the author
With one eye open and a heart ready to explode I click on the glowing words
coming from my computer screen saying, “book flight.” I have to repeatedly
tell myself not to start daydreaming just yet, but I can’t help it.
Those blue-roofed houses appear,
forcing that dream of mine
to stare at me right in the face.

30. TRAVEL
28 * F A L L - W I N T E R 2 0 1 5 | 1 6
mediterranean photo diary

31. TRAVEL
29 * F A L L - W I N T E R 2 0 1 5 | 1 6
DANIELA ANSELMO

32. TRAVEL
30 * F A L L - W I N T E R 2 0 1 5 | 1 6
I enjoy taking the time to look through my photos as I take them, making subtle changes as I go. I try to get as much information in each
shot as I can, so that the viewer can be drawn into my images, as if they were seeing it through their own eyes.
Exploring new regions with my camera allows me to take the time to notice things I normally wouldn’t.In making the effort to get different
angles, I get different perspectives on my surroundings.
The Mediterranean was unlike any landscape I had seen. Traveling through Italian locations such as Cinque Terre and Capri, I was chal-
lenged to capture its beauty in a way that would make viewers feel like they were there. From the rugged terrain of the coast to the calm
waves of the sea, the Mediterranean is a place that combines two worlds into one. Seeing places like these reminds me of the beautiful
world that we live in and inspires me to keep traveling. I will never forget how the smell of the salty Mediterranean air mixed with the
aromas of fresh seafood as I watched the bluish-gold gradient of the sky fall onto the horizon.
JOSH BERENDESITALIAN LANDSCAPES
Photographs by the author
The bay of Capri with the "Faraglioni" viewed from Anacapri.

33. 31 * F A L L - W I N T E R 2 0 1 5 | 1 6
#middleeast
on the table
A photographic mini-guide to Middle Eastern cuisine,
created by Florence-based visual communication designer
Berna Aydın from Istanbul. (@bernaaaydin on Instagram)
Künefe, one of the most delicious
Turkish desserts, served with ice cream
and pistachio
Middle Eastern dinner:
Pilav, rice cooked in butter
Köfte, meatballs
Tas Kebabı, bowl kebab
Kuzu Kaburga, stuffed lamb ribs
Ezme, hot pepper paste
Cacık, yogurt with cucumber and herbs
Coffee break at the bazaarTurkish way of starting the day
BERNA AYDIN

34. FOOD
32 * F A L L - W I N T E R 2 0 1 5 | 1 6
FOOD
32 * F A L L - W I N T E R 2 0 1 5 | 1 6
T
he olive tree originally comes from the
lands of the Eastern Mediterranean,
where it was probably one of the ear-
liest plants to be cultivated. Records show
that olives were being grown on the island
of Crete by 3500 B.C. In ancient times the
olive was considered sacred by all the Med-
iterranean peoples, and its oil was used in
religious ceremonies and rituals. The Egyp-
tians considered it a gift from the gods. The
Phoenicians called it “liquid gold,” and the
Hebrews used it to anoint their kings.
The Greeks brought the olive tree to Italy,
where the Etruscans were the first to use
it for cooking. Before then it was used for
medicinal purposes, as a cosmetic, in per-
fume making, or as a fuel to be burned in
lamps. Thanks to its high oleic acid content,
extra-virgin olive oil protects the heart
and arteries, slowing down the aging pro-
cess. It is rich in vitamins A, D, and E, the
perfect aid for the body’s natural defens-
es against digestive sicknesses, and aging
of the bones. Extra-virgin olive oil is also
a mild laxative. A tablespoon a day in the
morning on an empty stomach acts against
constipation. Externally, it can be used for
massaging joints stiff with arthritis. In an-
cient times, it was massaged on the temples
against headaches and migraines.
Properly produced, extra-virgin olive oil is
one of the purest and healthiest fats avail-
able. In some parts of Italy, extra-virgin
olive oil replaces butter in some cakes and
cookies. The best olive oils come into their
own flavor when served raw, over bruschet-
ta. Italy ranks second in olive oil production
after Spain, although in terms of quality,
Italian extra-virgin oils are still the most
highly prized. Dozens of olive varieties are
grown throughout the world, each with its
own size, shape, flavor and use in the kitch-
en. Tuscan olives are strictly about oil. There
are five primary varieties: Moraiolo, Correg-
gio, Frantoio, Leccino, and Pendolino. Only
fresh olives still attached to the tree can be
made into high quality oil or processed for
the table, so they must be detached from the
plant and not picked from the ground.
The making of olive oil is not an extensive
process; it includes just four steps but is a
process that is carefully conducted. Harvest-
ing the olives for the new season’s oil is a
delicate operation. To ensure quality, both
timing and method are of the fundamental
importance. Olives mature in late fall. The
best time to harvest them is just as they are
turning from green to black, when they con-
tain the most oil of the best quality. Olives are
harvested using large, long-handled wooden
rakes. The freshly picked olives are then tak-
en to the mill in crates to be pressed within
36 hours. Traditionally, oil was extracted by
pressing the olives between granite mill-
stones, now many non-industrial mills use a
modern continuous-cycle system. The olives
are conveyed up a belt, washed, and cut into
pulp. The resulting paste is kneaded and sep-
arated into solids, water, and oil.
Sansa is the brown residue of oil produc-
tion consisting primarily of ground pits and
skin. It is often piled outside the mill to be
picked up by refineries that use chemical
solvents to extract additional but inferior
oil. At the tail end of the machinery used to
extract oil is a sprout from which pure oil
flows in a thin stream. The oil is filtered and
usually sent to an adjoining orciaia, or olive
oil storeroom, to rest in terra cotta urns for
several days before bottling.
The quality of olive oil is measured not only
in terms of taste, but also according to levels
of acidity. The lower the level of acidity, the
better the quality of the oil. Levels of acidity
and the label that oils are allowed to carry
are controlled in Italy by strict European Un-
ion regulations. To qualify for the extra-vir-
gin olive oil label, the oil must be produced
in a cold press, meaning that no heat may be
applied during the process of oil extraction.
It must also have an acidity level lower than
one percent and must also have excellent
color, aroma, and flavor.
Oils with higher levels of acidity or with de-
fects in color, aroma, and flavor are known in
Italy as olio lampante, which means “shining
oil.” This might be due to the fact that this
type of olive oil was used in oil lamps. Most
Tuscans buy their oil for the whole year at
harvest-time, if they have storage room. It
is kept in heavy glass tubs or stainless-steel
containers to use as needed, which is very
often. Salads are tossed with little more
than olive oil and salt and everyone drench-
es toasted bread in it.
The olive tree is cultivated throughout Italy,
with the exception of a few cool northwest-
ern regions. There are over 395 different va-
rieties of olives registered in the Italian in-
dex of olives, giving Italy plenty of olive oil
connoisseurs.
WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT OLIO? TAYLOR MEANS
Photograph by BERNA AYDIN

35. FOOD
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G FOR GARLIC
ELIZABETH NORTMAN
I toy with the white bulbs, rolling it from
hand to hand. The skin crunches between
rolls, my hands pressing against the papi-
er-mâché coating. I begin by pulling the
translucent layers from the shredded, tis-
sue-paper top, discovering small-trapped
pods, hissing to get out. I pluck one, snap-
ping it off of the group. An indistinguish-
able scent. I pick at the pointed top of the
clove, cracking the coating. My hands be-
gin to slowly separate the two, eventually
skinning the wax paper coating in six clean
tears. The baby powdered clove has the nos-
talgic feel of an aged stained wood railing,
covered with the oils of many hands. I take
my metallic scythe to dig through the flesh.
Bringing the newly cut cells to my nos-
tril, my olfactory center is blasted with a
soft-peppery explosion. I place it back down
trying to decrypt this scent. The smell soon
drowns out my apartment. The others no-
tice the scent as well. There’s no hiding this
one. Crushing the tissue only exaggerates
this odor. A tacky residue on my fingers. Un-
consciously, I lick this adhesive juice. Mis-
take. Without hesitation and upon contact,
the extract singes all the cells in my tongue,
like a match lit on paper. I put the sliced
fragments down and need to walk away. I
am done with this aglio, for now.
ABCs of Mediterranean Food
T FOR TOMATO
KATHERINE MEIS
I feel the thin, smooth skin between my
fingers and I guide the small spherical fruit
towards my mouth. The instant I apply pres-
sure with my teeth the fruit explodes, send-
ing juices and seeds flying onto my tongue,
across my lips, down my fingers, and on my
shirt. The taste is watery and earthy.
L FOR LEMON
JAMIE PETRAGNANI
An oval shape, with raised circles on each
end. Small pores are visible across the en-
tire body of the fruit. It carries a muted, sun
yellow over most of its surface. One raised
end carries a grass green, while the other
carries a bark brown. Small, dirt brown
spots fall at various points across the fruit.
Once opened, there lies an opaque sunshine
yellow fruit and a snow white skin splits
the fruit into ten separate sections. Visible
ridges are present across the fruit, and juice
can be seen collecting in the crevices. When
initially pierced with the razor sharp metal
from a knife, cold juice begins to flow from
the fruit. Smooth, slippery oval shaped
seeds fall from the plush fruit as it is han-
dled. A faint, sweet, yet acidic smell comes
off the skin of the fruit. Once punctured,
the smell becomes far more potent. Upon
inhaling, there is a bitter tone that fills the
nostrils. Once opened, the teeth easily sink
into the fruit and the mouth is filled with
a potent juice. When vigorously squeezed,
a squishing noise, like stepping on a small
bug, can be heard.H FOR HONEY
ANDREW CORONATO
The crystallized residue around the open
mouth of the jar radiated a golden warmth,
daring to be touched. I refused to fall victim
to the alluring substance; to come in contact
with it would transform me for the worst.
Instead, I grabbed my silver demitasse and
entered the glass mouth. With a dip and a
twirl, I harvested the nectar of gold, avoiding
any sticky thread from joining the crusty
crystals on the glass. I brought the glowing
sweetness up to my mouth, and the essences
of its origin flowers ascended up my nostrils.
I slowly slid the spoon out of my mouth,
then wiggled my tongue to test the viscous-
ly of the substance. The sugary syrup tickled
my taste buds as my tongue danced in de-
light. Overcome by an energizing warmth, I
set down the spoon and smiled.
Photographs by BERNA AYDIN

36. FOOD
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THE ROOTS OF PIZZA
Whenever I think of Italy, I think of pizza.
The first thing I wanted to try was a big pizza pie.
What I soon learned was that the traditional
Neapolitan pizza has a fascinating background.
T
he history of the Nea-
politan pizza starts in
Napoli, of course. But
how did it arrive in Napoli?
The Ancient Greeks had a
flatbread called plakous. This
was commonly served with
herbs, onion, and garlic as
the toppings. It wasn’t un-
til the late 18th
century that
the people of Napoli decided
to put tomato on these flat-
breads. Thus the traditional
pizza was born, a link to the
rest of the Mediterranean countries. This is proof of the relationship
between the Greeks and Italians and how they influenced each oth-
er’s way of life especially when it comes to cuisine.
Neapolitans are very passionate about their pizza. They wood-fire
them with care and make every pie with perfection. To them, the
two traditional pizzas are the Marinara and Margherita. Today, you
can find many things on pizza including olives, meat, artichokes,
and many other foods. Because the Neapolitans take great pride in
their pizza, there are guidelines that must be followed in order to
make a true Neapolitan pizza. The ingredients that must be used
are a highly refined ‘00’ flour, San Marzano tomatoes grown in the
volcanic ash surrounding
Mount Vesuvius and Mozza-
rella di Bufala or Fior di Latte
(mozzarella cheese made
with either buffalo or cow
milk). The dough must also
only be prepared by hand
and rolled with a pin using
no mechanical machine. The
pizza must also not exceed
35 centimeters in diameter
or be more than three cen-
timeters thick in the middle.
All of these guidelines might
seem extremely particular, but they keep the tradition alive. In coun-
tries abroad, the pizza tradition lives on! The Italian immigrants
brought it to the United States in the late 1800s. They commonly set-
tled in places such as New York City and Chicago. Here, the tradition-
al thin-crust New York Style pizza and Thick-crust or Deep-dish Chi-
cago Pizza were born. In other countries, immigrants such as those
who established the vibrant Italian-American community in São
Paulo, Brazil, paved the way for the popularity of pizza throughout
the world. Where would we be if the Ancient Greeks hadn’t inspired
Napoli to create the pizza we know and love? The tradition lives on
and is still influenced everyday with new recipes and ideas.
MARISA BELLANCA
This is proof of the relationship between the Greeks
and Italians and how they influenced each other’s way
of life especially when it comes to cuisine.
Photograph by BERNA AYDIN

37. FOOD
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Luca Del Fante was a part of the TuttoToscana program of FUA hospitality students and chefs
who produced Tuscan-themed events at NYC locations such as the James Beard Foundation.
The goal of the team was to bring Florentine and Tuscan flavors to diverse audiences in
the US. Luca reflects on the experience of a native Mediterranean in the Big Apple.
LUCA DEL FANTEa Mediterranean
in New York Photograph by
DAVID ANDRE WEISS
F
lorence and New York, where white mar-
ble and coloured hills meet geometrical
skyscrapers. Straight, wide, and precise
streets named after numbers encounter
crooked, undefined narrow streets named
for historic figures and events. The Boboli
gardens at Palazzo Pitti seem like a small
yet beautiful jewel in comparison to the
immense jungle of Central Park. In Italy it’s
hard to define what’s “central,” I’ve often
heard discussions amongst Florentines about
what’s the central Italian city or whether
Florence is considered northern, central, or
even southern. From city differences arise
similarities, considering how Florence and
New York are home to some of the world’s
iconic statutes - the David and the Statue of
Liberty, which happens to be inspired by a
statue at the Santa Croce basilica in Florence.
Both cities host many art museums and Ital-
ian restaurants and McDonalds alike. You
can find pizza readily in the same measure
in both places. In New York there’s Little It-
aly, though by now it’s really little. There’s a
big Chinatown in both. I’ve lived in Prato, a
town next to Florence that hosts one of Eu-
rope’s biggest Chinese communities, and in
New York my hotel was in Chinatown.
What happens when a Mediterranean goes
New York, after crossing from his/her sea and
landing on the shores of the Atlantic?
This was one of the first questions I asked
myself while departing for the TuttoTos-
cana program in NYC. Our time in the city
was brief, just over a week, and extremely
intense. As a first timer, the experience was
that of a tightrope walker seeking balance.
The next question was why the Mediterra-
nean food and wine culture is so important
and how we were going to effectively com-
municate it at the events we managed from
Manhattan to Queens and New Jersey, which
also happened to take place in between some
of the biggest happenings in NYC - the Mar-
athon and Halloween. The answer lay within
where we had started off, in Tuscany, where
the culinary culture is healthy, tasty, and
unfindable anywhere else in the world. And
yet NYC is a place where you cannot not find
something, whether it’s Tuscan food or other
things, and furthermore you’ll find it close
by and of high quality. If it’s out there in the
world, you can find it in NYC. As a part of
the program, we visited fresh markets that
sell beautiful raw ingredients and browsed
through some incredible wine stores with
selections from all over the world. I discov-
ered local New York state wines for example,
a novelty for me. Ultimately though, it’s not
only about raw material but the way things
are handled and prepared. Our goal as a
professional team of international students
trained in Italy was to bring from Florence
that unfindable element to NYC, the element
of the Tuscan territory and land translated
through food in a way that went beyond the
cliché of “Italians do it better.”
During my time in NYC, I had a chance to
glimpse into the food habits of some univer-
sity students to pleasantly discover that they
weren’t so different from the ones I’ve grown
up with in Italy, i.e. eating at home or being
raised on mothers’ and grandmothers’ rec-
ipes. On another day, a staff meal with our
team during event prep gave us the option of
Italian items prepped by our culinary team
or dishes from the hosting university’s caf-
eteria. I opted for the cafeteria as an oppor-
tunity to try something new. Aside from the
healthy and unhealthy divide in how foods
are cooked, I realized that food is truly uni-
versal. In the dish that I ate, I found the exact
same ingredients, starting from the simple
onion. It was served by a kind, smiling wom-
an. This led me to make a further realization,
that I perhaps was experiencing something
similar to what our team aimed to express to
the guests at our events. Something differ-
ent, something from afar, served with hos-
pitality. In ten intensive days in NYC, I saw
how the blend of an “Atlantic” mentality and
the “Mediterranean” approach was not an
easy one to create. They seem like opposites,
yet when placed side by side, a thin, almost
imperceptible line appears. When we cross
it with the balance of the tightrope walker,
eyes and ears fully open, we can start to see
things that go beyond surfaces and stereo-
types. Instead of bringing Tuscan or Medi-
terranean “food” to NYC, we brought taste
and hospitality. Our guests in NYC desired
Mediterranean food and received a Medi-
terranean experience. As an Italian, what I
found was an Atlantic experience that shook
up and had an important impact on my
Mediterranean life.

38. FASHION
36 * F A L L - W I N T E R 2 0 1 5 | 1 6
EVA HERZIGOVA, 1994
Ph. Frank Yarbrough

39. 37 * F A L L - W I N T E R 2 0 1 5 | 1 6
A
quick glimpse at the fashion legacy created by Enrico Coveri immediately draws you to
an understanding of the core values the brand has at heart. Its encompassing values
consist of the ideas filled with joy, fun, vibrant color, strong energy, and positivity.
These elements are what make Coveri a brand distinct, and they are the same elements
that can be seen within the Mediterranean sea, its atmosphere, and its people.
This Tuscan-born fashion designer is one that can be seen matching the influences that
typically come out of the Mediterranean. Coveri extends his designs to encompass a life-
style that extends from every detail and aspect of daily living. This goal of effortless, beau-
tiful, and sensual comfort transforms and fits to every aspect of life. This is the same to
that of the style that fits to those whose habitat are amongst the Mediterranean backdrop.
Many of his designs, primarily spring-summer, portray whimsical elements that are
linked to the sea. In 1986, the campaign featured models shown smiling, frolicking, and
having fun. They dressed in Coveri’s brightly colored daisies and painted-looking floral
designs. The structure was flowing and draped, and the colors were that of tones that can
be seen in the bright sky.
EnricoCoveriCHRISTINA M. GARCIA
A woman is like the sea and its waves: they curve and twist, seduce
and play. They’re passionate, and beautiful. They are joyous, full of
energy, and are vibrant in colors. The sea not only holds a variety
of messages within its endless depths, but its personification as a
woman ties together many of the elements that it is comprised of.
This is exactly what describes the Mediterranean Sea, and this is
exactly what describes the perfect woman to the fashion empire of
Enrico Coveri.
The Seaand What
She Wears
Photos courtesy of
ENRICO COVERI PRESS OFFICE

40. FASHION
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ROBERTA CHIRKO, 1990 - Ph. © Oliviero ToscaniIMAN, 1985 - Ph. François Lamy
RENÉE SIMONSEN
and ESTELLE LEFÉBURE, 1986
Ph. Bill King
MARIEL HEMINGWAY, 1984
Ph. François Lamy

41. FASHION
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Another important design element that has lasted throughout the years of the brand are
the graphic, abstract-printed patterns. Here one can see the influence of Mediterranean
culture, especially that of African origins. The patterns are graphic and, again, surround
the bright color value that Coveri holds to the highest of standards. These prints can be
found amongst the inhabitants of African tribes, which have found their way in influenc-
ing many.
In 1990 there was a campaign that featured naval-dressed men gazing at a beautifully
alluring woman. Her brightly colored dress and her bright smile celebrated life. It was
structured in a way that emphasized her figure while the giant ribbon-like bows cascaded
down her back creating a tail, much like that of a mermaid.
Another aspect of design, which Coveri has come to be known for, are his “paillettes” dress-
es. Sequences are overlapped very close together all over the dress creating a fish-scale
visual effect. These fitted dresses go on to show the curves of a woman, sticking to the
sensuality that Coveri likes to portray, as well as creating a dress that can be seen as fun
and positive, filled with bright colors or patterns. Like the waves, they curve, and like the
sea, they hold this prime positive energy that connects “paillettes” with them.
Style like Coveri’s is as deep as the ocean and as active as the waves. Every single design is
able to speak for itself, creating whimsicality, sensuality, and beauty for those who choose
and seek to wear them. The Mediterranean, being comprised of many different countries
along its borders, hold key elements that many look to for inspiration. The ideas, values,
and its natural colors and patterns have created a strong influence for its people and fash-
ion trends and designs around the world. Enrico Coveri, although not necessarily looking
directly towards the Mediterranean and its surroundings, can be seen as a designer who
represents the direct elements of the Mediterranean.
Style like Coveri’s
is as deep as the ocean
and as active as the waves.
CLAUDIA SCHIFFER, 1990 - Ph. Brel/GenoveseIMAN, 1985 - Ph. François Lamy

42. FASHION
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Andy Warhol photographs Enrico Coveri, New York, 1982
Andy Warhol
Enrico Coveri logo
(1985-86)
Acrylic and
silkscreen print
101.6 x 101.6 cm
Andy Warhol
Enrico Coveri (1983)
Silkscreen print
103 x 103 cm

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ENRICO COVERI STORY
Enrico Coveri was born in Prato in 1952. He attended the Art Institute in Pistoia where he soon became
recognized for his talent for fashion.
When he was 21 years old he created his first line, Touche, which gained immediate success. In 1977 Cov-
eri debuted in France with his womenswear line during Paris Fashion Week. He went on to create a men’s
collection, a more youthful ready-to-wear collection, jean collections, children's clothing, and several fra-
grances for men and women.
Throughout his career, he received the Grand Médaille de Vermeille de la Ville de Paris from the mayor of
Paris, Jacques Chirac, and was also nominated for “Commendatore della Repubblica Italiana.”
Enrico Coveri passed away in December of 1990, but his legacy still lives on through his close family
members: Silvana Coveri, CEO of the company since 1977, and her son, Francesco Martini Coveri, who was
named art director of the fashion house in 1996. They continue to uphold the same values that Enrico Cov-
eri had created and instilled within the brand.
Enrico Coveri, 1994 - Ph. Bill King
ROBINMACKINTOSHandENRICOCOVERI,1988Ph.FrankYarbrough

44. FASHION
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Photograph by
CALOGERO CIPOLLA
MediterraneanFASHION INSPIRATION
FROM THE MEDITERRANEAN’S
BEAUTY AND HISTORYMoodsTAYLOR TRANSTRUM
Mediterranean fashion encompasses a wide span of countries, including Albania, Algeria, Bosnia-
Herzegovina, Croatia, Cyprus, Egypt, France, Greece, Israel, Italy, Lebanon, Libya, Malta, Morocco,
Monaco, Montenegro, Northern Cyprus, Palestine, Slovenia, Spain, Syria, Turkey, and Tunisia. Trends
from the Mediterranean area have inspired global fashion greatly in the modern world. Here, I take
a close up look at four favorite collections inspired by different Mediterranean regions and trends.
SICILIAN FOLK
The collection of the same name
by DOLCE & GABBANA, circa spring/
summer 2013, celebrates the beauty of
Sicilian women and the Sicilian culture
with a subtext of the sun, the sea, and of love.
The collection is primarily fabricated in silk or-
ganza and cotton damask, as well as organza and wicker,
and raffia featuring traditional Sicilian prints with images includ-
ing Caltagirone moors, pupi (puppets), wheels, Majolica plates, and
silhouetted trumpets.
Caltagirone moors date back more than 1000 years ago and hail
from the town of Caltagirone, which is in the province of Catania,
in central Sicily. Famous for its ceramics, Moorish heads have been
produced in Caltagirone for centuries and have been a predominant
feature of Sicilian folklore. The moors merge together both a female
and male head and are handcrafted. They tell the legend of unfor-
givable love between a woman named Kalsa and a young Saracen.
Another famous Sicilian ceramic featured in the collection is the
Majolica plate. Majolica ceramics are marked by featuring vibrant
colors and a bright sheen. They are a tin-glazed earthenware form
of pottery, dating back to the late 14th
century. The collection also
features pupi (puppets) prints from the Sicilian puppet theater (Op-
era dei Pupi) dating to the 15th
century. The wheel print featured
in the collection plays homage to
Sicilian carts, dating, in their present
form, to the 19th
century when the Bour-
bon kings built their first carriage roads of
modern times. The trumpets also play homage
to Sicilian history and the royal court. Other prints fea-
tured include beach inspired stripes. Silhouettes include a full skirt
silhouette and Sicilian embroidery. The collection also features folk
accessories including the bucket bag, wedges, and the Dolce bag.
ANCIENT RUINS
For the Spring 2014 ready-to-wear collection, Dolce & Gabbana
merged together inspiration from ancient ruins of both Greece
and Sicily. The collection features screen-printed images of old
photographs of ruined amphitheaters. Other ancient elements in-
corporated into the collection include chunky corseted belts fea-
turing ancient gold coins for the belt buckle and column-heeled
shoes. The collection also featured Sicily’s almond blossom on fem-
inine dresses. Stefano Gabbana describes the collection as “…an
unconscious dream.”

45. FASHION
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WALK LIKE AN EGYPTIAN
Egyptian elements have been incorporated into many designers’ collections for years. However, a personal favorite of mine has to be
ELIE TAHARI’s Spring 2012 collection. In this collection, ancient Egyptian inspiration pulls through in a subtle and muted-down manner.
Gold, a material the ancient Egyptian’s were known for having plenty of, was featured in every single look, at least in small doses. Gold
was presented in a variety of ways including gold cuff bracelets, metallic gold necklaces, gold belts, glimmering gold fold-over clutches,
and gold sandals. Gold was also used as an embellishment on the clothing itself and in lining on the inside of coats, jackets, dresses,
pants, and covered buttons. Less subtle items featuring gold include a metallic gold dress, gold trimmed trench coats, and a pair of
shredded white jeans revealing gold covered threads. Other design elements from ancient Egypt that were incorporated into this collec-
tion include snakeskin prints and dusty shades of blue, orange, and yellow. The collection’s final looks feature a series of black dresses
accented with gold hardware and zippers.
Photos © YANNIS VLAMOS and GIANNI PUCCI courtesy of VALENTINO
AFRICAN ART AND FUSION
VALENTINO’s Spring 2016 collection fuses together both Mediterra-
nean African and Italian traditions. It was created as a political re-
sponse to the dire circumstances African refugees are suffering on
their journey across the Mediterranean to Southern Italy. Valentino
designers Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pierpaolo Piccioli aim to coun-
teract the political uproar with a positive message. “We probably
feel that the greatest privilege in doing our work is that fashion can
give a message,” said Chiuri. “We think every person coming here
is an individual, and we can show that we can improve ourselves
by understanding other cultures.” “The message,” added Piccioli, “is
tolerance. And the beauty that comes out of cross-cultural expres-
sion.” The collection borrows elements from history and is inspired
in particular by the history of Western assimilation in relation to
Picasso and Braque’s embrace of African art in the 1920s. This fusion
is executed in the collection through a smart use of combining tex-
tiles. For example, strips of leather referring to gladiators became
studded, Roman sandals were paired with carved ebony heels and
Pagan necklaces from a prior Valentino collection and are now be-
ing shown in white ceramic. The collection also features tiny beaded
Masai-derived patterns and bold feathers.

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VALENTINO
SPRING 2016

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A MEDITERRANEAN RECIPE
Pucci
Styling: Malu Palma
Hair and Make up: Consuelo Cardella
Models: Desaree Fraser, Cheree Fraser, Helene Johnsen
Student photo credit: Michaela Kotob, Emily McColl, Malu Palma, Meagan Mary Pariseau
Introduction to Fashion Photography Fall 2015 students:
Shannon Cavarocchi, Malu Palma, Sarah Gordon, Michaela Kotob, Rachael Levesque,
William Martorano, Emily McColl, Tiffany McGuire, Meagan Mary Pariseau,
Carolina Prado Lima Figueiredo, Kerry Smith, Molly West, KasMone Vasha Williams
Ph. Meagan Mary Pariseau

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The opportunity of a photo shoot inspired by the theme De Re Mediterranea came to light when the ladies at FLY, FUA’s creative fashion
space, called for help in realizing a shoot based on a vintage selection by Emilio Pucci.
What better chance for the students of Introduction to Fashion Photography to test their newly acquired skills than to take the lead and
act as the main photographers for the occasion? Completely managed by the students and under the supervision of Professor Simone Bal-
lerini, the photoshoot came to life. Thanks to the coordination of Miranda Porterfield and Kayla Jacoobs from FLY Introduction to Fashion
Photography students were allowed to shoot at the Apicius International School of Hospitality using one of their kitchens as the set.
The students then took turns shooting their photos and trying out different ideas and compositions.
They conducted the shoot very well, always directing the models in a professional way and having a clear idea of what they were trying to
capture with every shot.
The vintage selection by Emilio Pucci is currently available for sale at FLY.
Inspired by De Re Mediterranea and influenced by North African
culture and western fashion: designs by Emilio Pucci
Ph. Emily McColl

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Ph. Michaela Kotob

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Ph. Michaela Kotob

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Ph. Malu Palma
Ph.MaluPalma
Ph. Malu Palma

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In Pieces
RACHEL RADOVICH-CHU
Painting, writing, and the act of loving are sister arts feeding off
each other through obsessive-compulsive outbursts of creativity.
Art therapy by definition is the self-service and maintenance of
one’s emotions through artistic creativity. It has become clearer and
clearer to me that an artist cannot have one without the other, the
madness without the antidote. While my natural cynicism original-
ly prevented me from having a non-judgmental, beginner’s mind
about the practice of art therapy, I can no longer argue its value.
Now, I may even say it has the potential to cure.
One year ago, I fell in love with a man. Falling in love, much like
making great art, has its complications, insecurities, and definite-
ly blocks. So, without any means of alleviating the current block I
was in, I found myself studying abroad in Italy where creativity is
known to flow like rain in a thunderstorm. Ironically, it was on a
rainy Tuesday in October that a memory came to me during an art
therapy session, which led to a series of works in which I am hav-
ing the first candid conversation with the man I love, but more im-
portantly with myself. I can see the emotional transition between
each piece of artwork: nostalgia to despair to anger to frustration. I
reread my quick notes on each piece from the class discussion and
have enough insight into myself to write the expository pieces that
haven’t always come so easily.
I am no longer afraid to call myself an artist. I believe in the practice
of art therapy because I am living through it right now. It’s a healing
process. We all have madness inside of us, but art is the self-medica-
tion that let’s us keep our madness and enjoy it too.
The following collages were created
by the Art Therapy course students
using the Gestaltic method, led by
faculty member Nicoletta Salomon.
FRAG-
MENTS
State of Ease
BREEDEN DUBOSE
My first 2D artwork depicts how I felt before coming into class on
the day it rained. For the Gestaltic approach, I wrote down “I am an
emotional mess. I am sad, anxious, confused. I am all bad emotions,
I am not happy. “ When creating my 2D image, I chose sheets that
were the colors of my pebbles and I cut odd shapes out of them. I
chose odd shapes to show the anxiety I felt inside. Simple shapes
would make it seem like I had my life together. I used a swirl to show
that my head was spinning out of control. I put a big dark square
in the middle to show the sadness I was feeling in my heart. When
creating this artwork I was sad, and it brought back the emotions I
felt during that day.
My second 2D image depicts how I felt while doing the rain exercise.
The rain exercise helped me to relax and forget about my problems.
I wrote down “I am relaxed, at ease.” I chose sheets that were the
colors of my pebbles and cut them into waves. I used waves to show
the rhythm of the music that had been playing. I cut out circles
because they reminded me of raindrops. I enjoyed creating this art-
work more because it took me back to being at a state of ease.

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OF
ME
DysfunctionalERICA KAVANAGH
I am a dysfunctional collage. I am chaotic and weird. My body
has jagged and organic curves that are highlighted and com-
plimented with bright and dark colors. Up close I am messy,
however far away I am composed. Nothing is the same; shapes,
colors, lines. At first I look strange but then I look unique. I am
mixed with many textures, soft and hard. I don’t expect every-
one to understand me, as I am an abstract piece. Some will see
beauty in me and some will think I am trash. My experiences
continue to shape and form my overall composition. However
I am unfinished, as my story is not done being told. Everyday
I change and transform a little more adding new elements of
color, shape, and texture. I will never get to see my final piece,
as it will only be done when I am done.
Colors
KATHERINE BENJAMIN
I am unique
I am free
I am random, but yet I am precisely chosen
I am large, but yet I am small
I am dark blue because I feel sad
I am light blue because I am relaxed
I am pink because I am staying positive
I am green because I am grateful for my life
I am mixed colors because I have mixed emotions
I am special
I am happy about my work.

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“A
ll hope abandon ye who enter here,” is often quoted in popu-
lar culture from The Lord of the Rings to the start of American
Psycho. However most don’t realize its magnitude. This cau-
tionary phrase warns Dante at the gates of Hell in Inferno. Incredibly
more than 600 years later the name Dante still echoes. The Floren-
tine Dante Alighieri was a medieval poet, best known for his poet-
ic trilogy, the Divine Comedy (1472). Throughout the series Dante
vividly describes the ideals of the Christian afterlife of purgatory,
heaven, and hell. He so aptly described the levels of the afterlife that
his work greatly changed the Western perspective.
In Italy, the cult of Dante is still alive through museums, education
and monuments. Dante is an important part of Florentine history,
even the House of Dante is located in the city. Young Florentines
study Dante from primary school to high school. Each year of high
school is dedicated to studying the different realms of afterlife. Like
Dante, young Florentines explore all of the levels of afterlife and
after often feel freed upon finishing the Divine Comedy. Constant-
ly surrounded by Florence’s small, numerous churches and towers
from the medieval era, Florentines never forget Dante’s influence
on the city’s culture. Dante’s image can be seen throughout the city,
not only as the father of Italian language but also as a symbol of
Florentine culture.
This symbol did not only affect Florence. Dante was the first poet
to write in the language of the people. By doing so, he solidified the
Tuscan dialect as the true Italian language. As the Bible was often
written in Latin, the common people read Dante’s descriptions of
the realms of afterlife, hell, purgatory and heaven, as doctrine. The
Italian art and literature mirrored Dante’s version of the afterlife.
Novelists began describing heaven’s light; poets began referring to
purgatory; and church ceilings began to reflect his framework. His
epic poems reached Italy and eventually spread across the Mediter-
ranean.
The Divine Afterlife
of the Mediterranean
Dante described the indescribable: the afterlife. His vivid
concepts inspired literature across the Mediterranean and
Italy. Dante’s influence over the afterlife survives to this day.
DEBORAH GALASSO
ERICA KAVANAGH
SARAH WALLER
Photograph by
DAVID ANDRE WEISS
Literature