Dr. Gina Marcello Presents the People, Places, and Spaces of Emilia-Romagna, Italy, in 360 Degrees
Experience digital storytelling through 360° and mobile technologies, photography, and videography of Emilia-Romagna, Italy by Spring Lake artist Gina Marcello, Ph.D., assistant professor of digital communication and director of the digital communication program at Georgian Court University. The exhibit runs through December 20, 2017, in the M. Christina Geis Art Gallery on GCU’s historic Lakewood campus.
“Storytelling is one of our oldest art forms. It stimulates imagination and builds community,” says Dr. Marcello. “It provides a bridge between listener and speaker. As meaning-making machines, human beings come to know our world by the stories we are told and the stories we tell.”
Digital technology has transformed the way we share and document our experiences. New media like 360° photography and augmented technologies allow artists to create immersive experiences. As our abilities to tell stories evolve, so do the ways we can experience them.
“Emotional responses to still and moving images is something I think makes us more human,” says Dr. Marcello.
This exhibit will focus on learning about northern Italy—an authentic Italy, off the beaten path of tourists. Using 360° photography, the viewer is placed in the middle of the spaces important to the people of the region creating a totally immersive experience.
“What keeps me going back to northern Italy is the majestic and historic beauty of the region and the spirit of the people,” says Dr. Marcello. “My hope is to share my love of the region with others by immersing them in the spaces and places I’ve grown to adore for their physical, historic, and spiritual beauty.”
Trekking, eating, and spiritual connection to the earth are a way of life in the Apennine Mountains. The pilgrimage route Via Francigena in Berceto showcases a ninth-century cathedral still in use today. The World Wildlife Fund reserve quietly speaks to our connection to the land, to the past, and to each other. The family-owned and operated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese factory produces “the King of Cheeses” using similar processes birthed in the Middle Ages. Stories of the past unfold naturally as you walk through forests and buildings once occupied by the Celts and Romans.
The gallery is open Monday through Thursday from 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. and Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and is free and open to the public. No reservations are required. For more information, call Kathleen Settles at 732.987.2388 or e-mail ksettles@georgian.edu.
