Last night, one of Italy’s most beloved and ancient cultural treasures – the 600-plus-year-old Duomo di Milano – made its New York debut.
A curated collection of pinnacles, gargoyles, and statues – temporarily extracted from the Duomo for this once-in-a-lifetime showing – was unveiled at Eataly New York in a ribbon-cutting ceremony with Eataly founder Oscar Farinetti, Mayor of Milan Giuliano Pisapia, Professor Angelo Caloia, Piero Galli, and more honored guests.
The exhibit, “Eataly per Duomo,” features a number of historically significant pieces: the stunning statue of Santa Lucia, an image of the Holy Virgin, and an assortment of architecturally unique gargoyles. Located in the vestibule just past La Piazza, the exhibit is free and open to the public through May 2015.
The “Eataly per Duomo” exhibition includes authentic gargoyles, statues, and pinnacles borrowed from the Duomo di Milano.
Farinetti expressed pride that Eataly is hosting this very special exhibit in Manhattan for New Yorkers to see, experience, and enjoy.
“We, as Italians, all have a duty to preserve the legacy of our past by sharing it with the world,” said Farinetti. “This is our chance to ensure that one of the most acclaimed artistic remains will exist for our future generations. Culture, food, and art are our greatest resources to make this happen.”
In celebration of this cultural heritage, Eataly became the first sponsor of the Duomo’s representatives of the Veneranda Fabbrica del Duomo di Milano. Together, they launched and established the fundraising organization, International Patrons of Duomo di Milano Inc., and its campaign Do You Duomo?.
The shared goal is to restore the Duomo to its original glory by May 1, the opening day of Expo Milano 2015. Expo Milano is expected to draw 20 million visitors during its six-month run, the theme of which is “Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life” – something we at Eataly can definitely support! Accordingly, Eataly New York is now an official ticket vendor for Expo; tickets went on sale yesterday and will be available for purchase through October 2015.
From left: Eataly Founder Oscar Farinetti, Piero Galli of Expo 2015, Mayor of Milan Giuliano Pilapia, President of Veneranda Fabrica Del Duomo di Milano Angelo Caloia, and Italian Consul General in New York Natalia Quintavalle cut the ribbon for “Eataly per Duomo.”
ABOUT VENERANDA FABBRICA DEL DUOMO DI MILANO:
The Duomo features 3,600 statues, 135 pinnacles, 200 reliefs, 96 gargoyles, and draws approximately 6,000,000 visitors per year. These numbers highlight the tremendous amount of work required of restoration workers, who have maintained the Duomo since its design by the Veneranda Fabbrica over 600 years ago. Founded by Milan Lord Gian Galeazzo Visconti in 1387, the Veneranda Fabbrica was declared responsible for the construction and subsequent preservation of the Duomo.
ABOUT INTERNATIONAL PATRONS OF DUOMO DI MILANO INC.:
International Patrons of Duomo di Milano Inc. is a public charity, established in 2014 exclusively for charitable purposes under section 501(c)3 of the Internal Revenue Code. The task of International Patrons of Duomo di Milano is to make the international public aware of the needs of the Duomo (church), the symbol of Milan throughout the world, and to collect donations to support the conservation, protection, restoration, and enhancement of the cathedral.
ABOUT EXPO 2015:
Expo 2015 is the Universal Exposition to be held in Milan from May 1 to October 31 next year. The theme of the event will be “Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life” with the aim of giving a concrete answer to a vital need for mankind: to ensure enough healthy food for all, respecting Nature and its delicate balance, avoiding food excess and injustice. Over 140 countries will participate, of which 53 will build their own pavilion where they can show the best of their technologies and innovations, and thus stimulate human progress.
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