On the occasion of the reopening of the library at the Italian Cultural Institute of Chicago, the exhibition Teatricci will open to the public, presenting an installation and selection of artworks by Italian artist Alessandra Ricci.
Teatricci originates from the artist’s passion for theater and illustrated books, from the fascination for the unpredictable magical content of old wooden boxes and their past. Theatrical space and scenic movement give life to fairy tales, novels, operas or new tales, inspired by a marionette or by the emotion of a backdrop. Each and every “teatriccio” promises a world of exhilarating and unpredictable threads, springing from the slow click of a worn latch, a lid rising and setting colors and shapes free while a simple wood box becomes a scenic and narrative space where marionettes come to life.
Opening Event
Thursday, March 21 at 6-8:00pm CT
The exhibition will be inaugurated with a celebratory event, attended by the artist.
Guests will have the opportunity to visit the renewed library of the Istituto.
Registration is not required.
Opening Hours
Monday-Friday, from 11:00am to 4:00pm
For groups or after hour visits, please email iicchicago@esteri.it
Alessandra Ricci
Theater, cinema and television set designer, Alessandra pursued her career in puppet theater, designing and creating sets, costumes, masks and puppets, exploring a wide range of materials, techniques and practices, while conceiving and leading creative workshops in kindergarten and primary schools, theaters, libraries and cultural centers. Highly accomplished and experienced in puppet theatre, she later worked with high-profile TV production houses, independent cinema, permanent theaters and festivals, as she kept creating little theaters and wooden marionettes. Her passion culminated in 2022 with the exhibition Teatricci at “Immagina 2022” – Rome International Puppet Theatre Festival, where she presented ten of her little theaters and lead a workshop for children on little theaters and paper marionettes.
The event is presented on the occasion of the reopening of the library at the Italian Institute of Culture in Chicago, at the conclusion of a re-cataloging process that led to the inclusion of hundreds of new titles and new thematic sections. The library of the Istituto offers consultation and lending services to the public, with a catalog of almost 4000 titles including books and DVDs. The collection includes, among others, a large section dedicated to Italian fiction, specialized and thematic collections, and a section dedicated to children and young readers.
