CIMA’s Fall 2019 season is about to kick-off and it’s our pleasure to introduce our seasonal interns, Aria Vetticad, Debora Bosa, Ingrid Kuribayashi, Olivia LaManna, and Brigid Kennison. Get to know them by reading the intern-views below!
ARIA VETTICAD
DEBORAH BOSA
How did you first become interested in art history?
I first became interested in art history during high school in Genoa, Italy, where I live. I found it so interesting to learn about artists, paintings, sculptures and architecture, that I didn’t want to do anything else. Now, I have a degree in Italian literature, and in April 2020 I’ll have my masters degree in art history at the University of Pavia, where I’s studying. I like everything “humanistic,” from philosophy to the history of cinema, but art is my passion.
When was your first time in New York? What surprised you the most about this city?
I visited New York two years ago, because I have some relatives here. I’m from Genoa in Italy and New York is a very different city, but I love that, it’s so amazing. NYC is dynamic, chaotic and lively and I like this so much. What I prefer about the city are its lights and the museums, the best in the world, and also the food is not so bad.
What do you like to do when you are not working?
I like going to museums (it’s my obsession); cinema, watching sitcoms, going out with friends and climbing which I hope to be able to practice during my stay in New York.
What do you hope to gain from this experience at CIMA? What are the things that you are most looking forward to?
What I am most looking forward to during my time in CIMA is learning about the most hidden aspects of art and the process and critique behind a work of art. Also from this experience I want to improve myself: I want to understand what it means to work in the art world and I want to improve my English.
INGRID KURIBAYASHI
How did you first become interested in art history?
My parents, being art dealers, have always made sure to have European and Japanese history, art and culture around in my house as part of my education. They would take my brother and me on trips to the Metropolitan Museum of Art since I could remember. Although art history was such an obvious career path, I had pushed it aside. At university, I was majoring in Italian and French literature and it was not until my junior year that I had decided to take an art history course. I was familiar with the paintings that I was studying, but I had never taken the chance to fully appreciate. What my parents had shown me numerous times as a little girl was all starting to come together with my literary studies at university along with my personal music studies. While I did not have enough time to complete an art history major, I do not regret my literary studies as they were what pushed my ardent fascination and understanding of art history forward.
What do you like to do when you are not working?
With my literary major, it’s not surprising that one of my favorite pastimes is reading! I’m currently enthralled by Oscar Wildes’ The Picture of Dorian Gray, but generally I love reading works by Shakespeare, Moliere and other historic play writes. I’ll always be keeping an eye out for interesting up-and-coming productions on Broadway as well as productions being transferred over from England! I love to play the piano as well. I’ve been listening to Franz Liszt’s rendition of Paganini’s Campanella on repeat for the past few weeks and have been trying to find the free time (and patience) to start learning the piece!
Best 3 museums or art sites worldwide according to your taste?
I would choose a museum I know well, the Metropolitan Museum of Art for its amazing collection of great works of every culture and epoch I enjoy. Also, I would choose two that I will visit someday: The Louvre, in Paris, for its outstanding collection of world famous classical art. Finally, I dearly hope to visit Rome, which could certainly be considered one huge, magnificent art site of major historical and worldwide prominence.
What do you hope to gain from this experience at CIMA? What are the things that you are most looking forward to?
Art history is the perfect intersection between all of my interests: history, culture, politics, and music. I came to this realization fairly late in my undergraduate career and was not able to complete a major in art history. I am considering how to advance my career in this highly competitive field and with my internship at CIMA, I will be given the chance to learn the workings of a gallery and to show my ability to perform well in the art world. I am extremely grateful for the opportunity that CIMA has given me.
I look forward to having the chance to express my enthusiasm for art and art history to the public. I am excited to be working up close with the Marino Marini works and to be participating in the exhibition. I am also really excited to be working in an environment where English is not the predominant language. Because working with Italian art in Italy is my end goal, learning the daily functions and workings of an Italian art space through the Italian language is an invaluable experience for me. Though it will be a challenge, I sincerely look forward to immersing myself into the Italian workplace!
If you could purchase any painting, which one would it be? Why? And where would you put it in your apartment?
It is hard to choose one painting out of all the amazing possibilities! Through my art history courses, I found myself particularly drawn to Edvard Munch’s paintings. Two qualities that stand out in Munch’s paintings, such as in Madonna and The Storm, are things that are enthralling to me: ambiguity and discomfort. With that being said, unless one wants to spook away visitors, his paintings are not really for home decor!
OLIVIA LA MANNA
How did you first become interested in art history?
I have always been very interested in art, when I was younger I was always taking art classes and painting or drawing, and eventually this led me to become interested in the history of art. Going to museums is also something I’ve always been very interested in and this helped me realize that I wanted to be a part of the art world. Once I entered college, I moved to Italy and was surrounded by some of the most incredible works of art, and I think this experience really solidified my idea that studying art history was the right choice for me.
What do you like to do when you are not working?
While I am not working, I enjoy spending time with my family and friends. I love finding a good book to read, particularly non-fiction and historical ones or going to museums and wandering around the exhibits. I also love traveling, trying new foods, and learning about different cultures.
Best 3 museums or art sites/cities worldwide, according to your taste?
Its hard to choose just three, but I would have to say my top favorite art site/cites would have to be Florence, Italy. Florence is a city that has both art and history around every corner and while I have lived there for almost two years, I truly cannot get enough of it! Another favorite of mine would have to be Paris, I think it is another enchanting city filled with art and the Louvre is one of the most impressive museums I have been to. And last but certainly not least, New York! New York is a city like no other, it is filled with both modern and historical art and there is always a new gallery or exhibit to explore. Being from Brooklyn, I have had the opportunity spend a lot of time in Manhattan and be exposed to the diverse culture and art that it has to offer.
What do you hope to gain from this experience at CIMA, what are the things that you are most looking forward to?
While interning at CIMA this fall, I am looking forward to being part of a non-profit research center and cultural institution where the main focus is Italian modern art and culture, while at the same time, experiencing what it is like to be involved in the professional art world. In addition to this, I am looking forward to learning more about the current exhibit of Marino Marini and having the opportunity to share my enthusiasm about this event with the visitors, guests and the fellow staff members!
BRIGID KENNISON
How did you first become interested in art history?
My parents are both big art lovers with distinct tastes. My dad admires American expressionist art from the late nineteenth, early twentieth century as well as Russian Constructivism and my mom adores Post-Impressionism though her favorite singular piece is The Veiled Christ (Italian: Cristo velato) in Naples. As a kid I would go to museums with them and was most interested in what they had to say about various works of art rather than what was written on the plaques next to them. They seemed to always know a story about the making of it, the artist, some tidbit of background that was funny, strange, or heartbreaking. As I got older I developed my own taste (I’m partial to Italian Futurism and French Surrealism), my own favorite museums (among them the Peggy Guggenheim Collection in Venice), and dearest artworks (the sculptures of June Leaf), but it all began with the influence of my parents. Now I always like to learn about the history of a favorite art piece and its author to collect my own stories to tell at museums.
What led you to CIMA?
I just came back from a year abroad in Florence, Italy, where I studied language, art history, and sociology. I got the chance to examine 17th century Baroque art, for example, in a classroom and then take an hour-long train trip to Rome and see the pieces themselves which we were discussing. It was incredible and I do not take that for granted. As a senior now at Sarah Lawrence College I was eager to continue speaking Italian as well as studying Italian art in a setting not so conventional as a classroom. CIMA is an excellent opportunity to do both!
What do you like to do when you are not working?
One of my passions is filmmaking. I’ve studied documentary filmmaking for 4 years now and have made 6 short pieces all of which I shot and edited myself. I love making movies and watching them, with Italian cinema holding a special place in my heart especially the films of Pier Paolo Pasolini.
What do you hope to gain from this experience at CIMA? What are the things that you are most looking forward to?
Being at CIMA and in this environment is a great opportunity to learn about gallery management and the nuts and bolts of curating and setting up an art exhibition. It is no small feat and requires a lot of time and commitment so I hope to be of service. At the same time, I would very much like to learn about how to run a non-profit organization. As for what I am most looking forward to, I can’t wait to see this year’s show, Marino Marini: Arcadian Nudes, also to see the public’s response to it!
