Artist Swietlan Nicholas Kraczyna to speak on photographic essay ‘The Great Flood of Florence’ Nov. 7

Artist Swietlan Nicholas Kraczyna to speak on photographic essay ‘The Great Flood of Florence’ Nov. 7October 30, 2007Erica Blustesblust@syr.edu

Swietlan Nicholas Kraczyna, an internationally known artist and faculty member for SU Florence, will present a slide show and talk about his photographic essay “The Great Flood of Florence” Wednesday, Nov. 7, at 3 p.m. in the Peter Graham Scholarly Commons on the first floor of E.S. Bird Library. The talk is free and open to the public. A book signing will follow.

Kraczyna’s book, published by Syracuse University Press, features 85 black-and-white photographs taken on and in the days after Nov. 4, 1966, when Florence, Italy, experienced a devastating flood that crippled the city and destroyed many art treasures. Kraczyna was awarded the Fiorino d’Oro, the highest honor of the City of Florence, for 10 of the photographs.

Currently a visiting professor at SU’s College of Visual and Performing Arts (VPA), Kraczyna has had 128 solo exhibitions spanning five continents. His work is also preserved in Florence’s famous Uffizi Gallery. His talk is sponsored by SU Press and VPA.

For more information, contact Lisa Kuerbis, SU Press marketing coordinator, at (315) 463-0756 or lkuerbis@syr.edu.