Legato 2014 and the 70th Commemorations of the Battles for Cassino

"Freedom" 2010 photograph by Lorraine Beattie

Preparations for Legato 2014, part of the commemorations for the seventieth anniversary of the end of the battles for Cassino, are well underway. Accommodation for travelling artists has been pencilled in. Venues are booked and extra venues are being viewed and considered as Legato grows. It is an exhausting but exciting time as letters go out to artists and emails come back in. Formal applications to contribute to the 2014 exhibition are being called for in September.

Legato was established by New Zealand curator and organiser Kay de Lautour Scott in 2010 after discussions in London and in Italy with veteran Douglas Lyne (1921-2010), founder of the Monte Cassino Foundation for Remembrance and Reconciliation, about the role of the arts in international understanding and cultural exchanges in peace work.

Exhibitions to date:
2010 Cassino, Italy (NZ artists with German & Italian NZ artists)
2010 Roccasecca (FR) Italy (NZ artists)
2011 Wallace Gallery, Morrinsville, New Zealand (NZ artists)
2011 Cassino, Italy (NZ, Canadian & Italian artists)
2012 Cassino, Italy (NZ, Canadian, Hungarian, English & Italian artists)
2012 Roccasecca (FR), Italy (NZ, Canadian & Italian artists)
2013 Monte San Giovanni in Campano, Italy (selected NZ artwork)
2013 Cassino, Italy (NZ, Canadian, Italian, Russian, USA & English artists)

While essentially a New Zealand exhibition, approximately 60 artists of seven different nationalities have contributed to Legato to date.

To help newcomers to Legato find their way around the blog and videos, here are some useful links.

The history of Legato (blog post)

Why "Legato"?  (blog post)

A range of videos:
Mosaic artist Janice Corbishley discusses her work and involvement in the Legato Exhibition 
Painter Jon Stevenson explains his artwork and his trip to Cassino
Mixed media artist Frances Rookes  interview at Legato
Photographer Lorraine Beattie interview at Legato
Italo-Kiwi Margherita Giampietri discusses her work and the logistics and benefits of taking part in international exhibitions, and compares Italian and NZ post-war experiences  video

General background and artist comments (2010): Legato at Cassino (video)

The opening in 2010: Legato opening (video, short version)

Artists hold a short service of remembrance at the Commonwealth cemetery (video)

The first Legato exhibition, Cassino Italy 2010 (blog post)

Legato on Vimeo (click here for link to 15 videos)
Thanks to Nicola Blackmore of feijoafilms (Scotland and Melbourne) for travelling to Italy to produce these videos in 2010.


Legato on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Legato-Exhibition-Italy/109656259065551?fref=ts