Back in Charlottesville, I eagerly began editing the footage captured last week in New York with Lisa Ackerman and John Belardo. Our discussions focused on the versatile artistic contributions of the Piccirilli Brothers, whose work spanned various styles and left a significant mark on American art.
The on-camera conversation with Lisa Ackerman took place at the Presidential Library of the Columbus Citizen’s Foundation in Manhattan. Her insights centered on the Piccirilli Brothers' remarkable ability to transcend the American Renaissance, venturing into the Latin American Baroque with the façade of the California Building in San Diego. Including Lisa’s comments in the timeline of "The Piccirilli Factor" provides an excellent introduction to the segment on the formidable work created by Furio and Attilio Piccirilli for the Panama-Pacific Exposition of 1915 in San Diego. This sequence highlights a new dimension of the Piccirilli Brothers' contributions to American art.
John Belardo, a distinguished sculptor, professor at Lehman College and a fellow Piccirilli enthusiast, joined me in Brooklyn for an on-camera conversation. We explored various aspects of the Piccirilli Brothers' work, focusing primarily on "The Outcast," a monumental statue preserved at Woodlawn Cemetery. Our conversation also delved into the implications of Attilio Piccirilli's role in selecting Georgia marble for the Lincoln Memorial.
Having the testimonies of Ackerman and Belardo greatly enriches "The Piccirilli Factor," which is evolving into a comprehensive journey through the lives and works of the six Italian brothers. These sculptors from Massa Carrara significantly redefined the urban landscapes of New York and numerous other American cities with their contributions.
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