Discover the story of Italian artist Cesare Vagarini with Dr. Lorraine Kypiotis and the producer Murray Fahey, exploring his art and legacy in Australia.
As a fourth event of the Series “Traces of Italy: Legacies of Italians Shaping Australia’s Cultural Landscape” the Italian Cultural Institute of Sydney, in collaboration with the Consulate General of Italy in Sydney, is proud to present a talk about the fascinating story of Cesare Vagarini, exploring his art and legacy in Australia.
In 1945 Cesare Vagarini was commissioned to paint a series of 8 murals for the church of Mary Immaculate in Waverley. It was the first time a work of such magnitude was to be undertaken in an Australian church.
To follow the story of Vagarini is to embark on a circuitous journey – one in which his art making would take him from Italy to the antipodes and back again. Born in Rome and educated in Florence, the master painter worked on restorations in Tuscany before accepting a lectureship at the Brera Academy in Milan. Soon after he travelled to Palestine to work on the frescos in the Church of the Visitation. Here, it was his misfortune to be arrested the day after Italy entered the Second World War in June 1940 and was sent to an internment camp in Tatura, Victoria. At the intervention of the Australian Franciscans, however, he was released and came to Sydney to begin his monumental work in the church.
Discover the fascinating life, art and legacy of Cesare Vagarini with Art Historian Dr Lorraine Kypiotis. Joining her will be Murray Fahey, producer of the documentary Seeking Vagarini.
Lorraine Kypiotis: is passionate about art, education and history. She is currently the Head of Undergraduate Studies at the National Art School, where she is also a lecturer in Art History. She holds a Phd in Art History from the University of Sydney and her Master’s degree was in Italian Renaissance Studies. Lorraine is a popular guest lecturer at the AGNSW, having presented on a wide variety of artists, including Tintoretto, Raphael, Leonardo and Michelangelo. She has also led a number of tours to Italy, Spain and Portugal for the Art Gallery Society of NSW and is the resident art historian on ABC Nightlife.
Murray Fahey: is an award-winning film and television producer, director and lawyer. Blending legal expertise with creative flair, Murray is a graduate of the Australian Film Television and Radio School, known for directing and producing such diverse films as Encounters, Sex Is a Four Letter Word, Love Stuck, Gnomebrook, Alex & Eve and Dags. His is also a seasoned performer and improviser, having performed at Chicago 2nd City, the London Comedy Store and Edinburgh Fringe. He has won the TheatreSports Cranston Cup more times than he can remember.
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