Italy -- America Adores You

Well because she is so fantastic, Rizzoli International asked graphic designer, typographer, lover of Italy and recipient of greatest female designer award on the Marissima blog -- Louise Fili -- to design the covers for Romanzi d'Italia, a series of ten amazing novels in honor of Italy's 150th anniversary! I have only read excerpts from 3 novels in my Italian Literature course-- but really, they should be read by all! Here they are:

 Le ultime lettere di Iacopo Ortis by Ugo Foscolo (with a preface by Paolo Mieli), Le mie prigioni by Silvio Pellico (Luciano Canfora), I promessi Sposi by Alessandro Manzoni (Andrea Riccardi), Le confessioni d'un italiano Ippolito Nievo (Sergio Romano), I Malavoglia by Giovanni Verga (Gustavo Zagrebelsky), Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi (Giovanni Belardelli), Cuore by Edmondo De Amicis (Pierluigi Battista), Il piacere by Gabriele D'Annunzio (Angelo Panebianco), I Viceré by Federico De Roberto (Giovanni Sabbatucci) and Piccolo Mondo Antico by Antonio Fogazzaro (Ernesto Galli Della Loggia). Each volume is sold for 12 Euros.

Check out the interview in Italian! **Sorry English speaking people!**


Ps. Worthy post about the beloved Ms. Fili -- soon to come!


A presto,
Mari

Buon Compleanno Italia

Poster I made for the 150th Anniversary -- Inspired by 1949 Olivetti Poster -- Giovanni Pintori

One hundred and fifty years ago today marks the unification of Italy. Today we celebrate the anniversary with waving flags, assorted sweets and a darn good orchestra orchestrating the national anthem. What we often forget is that the idea of a "united Italy" came fairly recently and Italians sometimes fail to regard themselves as "one" people. Thankfully today, we can proudly celebrate this beautiful country* (correction: some of us can proudly celebrate). Buon compleanno darling. Let the haters keep hating...

Please watch this beautiful video. Go ahead, be inspired or cry your eyes out. The type on the little boys soccer jerseys indicate the date of Italy's unification -- how sneaky, how clever, how beautiful.

Yesterday, during our History of Visual Communications class we observed propaganda art from all over the world; Germany -- London -- Russia -- U.S., etc. The idea of nationalism and zeal involved into serving ones country was inadvertently forced upon its people. In some way, I feel like this sweet and subtle video serves as the antithesis of that -- however, it still implies the same gesture of pride, nationalism and love for one's country. 

Till next time,
Mari