Italianism: October 10th Rome, Italy: Moku hanga demo

I'm thrilled and  quite excited to have been invited to participate in Italianism http://www.italianism.it/en/  a one-day conference, investigation and display of the current state of the arts in Italy and abroad (by Italians). Set in the larger, month-long, OUTDOOR festival and housed in the mammoth ex-weapons factory and military base in the Flaminio neighborhood of Rome.  I'll be there as one of the participating artists demonstrating Japanese woodblock printing.

Italianism is the project of Renato Fontana and produced by Nu company and Outdoor Festival; There are more than 100 artists participating. There will be Illustrators, Designers, Musicians, Web Designers, Tattoo and Graffiti artists and the general focus is on modern and cutting-edge art and design and the emerging synergy and cross-pollination happening by artists working across media and geographic boundaries.  Housed in a large industrial complex that was once a military barracks and weapons factory the space is enormous with areas dedicated for the music and video stages and the large installation works that fill the many big rooms of the now abandoned factory. There is a section showing the works of 50 contemporary Italian illustrators and a photographic exhibit. 

Connecting two of the large hangars is a long, covered corridor housing the section the organizer has titled: ANALOG 2.0.  20 modern artists who have decided to work in fields that hark from another age and work in decidedly hands-on,  labor-intensive crafts. There is a pinhole and colloid photographer, a silkscreen artist, bookbinders and hand typesetters of artist books, tattoo artists, a  felt illustrator,  a cut-paper artist, a few independent small book publishers, and one, not-so-young, not-so Italian, moku hanga. Japanese woodblock printer (me).

I'll have a table set up with my work, both sample blocks and prints.   I will demonstrate the traditional technique of moku hanga printing, using dry pigment, rice paste and printing with a baren.  I plan on printing most of the day with frequent breaks to discuss the differences between Japanese and traditional western printing techniques and with a session in the afternoon on how how to make a simple but effective, home made baren and to man a printing station for those who'd like to try printing with a baren.
I'll also have some framed and unframed works on display (and on sale) but this will mostly be a chance for me to meet 100 amazing Italian artists and illustrators and to make myself known in this community.  Tickets are 20 Euro and allow entrance to the entire event including Outdoor Festival.
From 10 am to 4AM. See program at the above link.

I should have a more definite program for the day posted here in the next few days.
I hope to see lots of curious and friendly faces in Rome, October 10th at Italianism.