OK, so Venetian Renaissance architect Andrea Palladio isn't really coming to Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design in the Third Ward, but a photo exhibit of his influential villas -- called "Villas of Andrea Palladio" -- is, through Feb. 19.
There's an opening night panel discussion on Thursday, Jan. 27 at 6 p.m. and features a range of experts, including professors, an architectural photographer and others.
But don't think this is an obscure, unrelated specialty architectural subject. In fact, Palladio's passion for Roman and Greek architecture and his symmetrical constructions were extremely influential among American thinkers like Thomas Jefferson, whose own Monticello was based on Palladian designs and ideas. The United States Capitol is also rooted in Palladio.
Palladio's influence is all around us in the United States, especially in terms of banks, schools and governmental buildings.
So, check out the photo exhibit -- coordinated with the Italian Cultural Institute Chicago -- which you can see Tuesdays through Saturdays, from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. and get to tonight's opening soiree if you can, too.
Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he lived until he was 17, Bobby received his BA-Mass Communications from UWM in 1989 and has lived in Walker's Point, Bay View, Enderis Park, South Milwaukee and on the East Side.
He has published three non-fiction books in Italy – including one about an event in Milwaukee history, which was published in the U.S. in autumn 2010. Four more books, all about Milwaukee, have been published by The History Press.
With his most recent band, The Yell Leaders, Bobby released four LPs and had a songs featured in episodes of TV's "Party of Five" and "Dawson's Creek," and films in Japan, South America and the U.S. The Yell Leaders were named the best unsigned band in their region by VH-1 as part of its Rock Across America 1998 Tour. Most recently, the band contributed tracks to a UK vinyl/CD tribute to the Redskins and collaborated on a track with Italian novelist Enrico Remmert.
He's produced three installments of the "OMCD" series of local music compilations for OnMilwaukee.com and in 2007 produced a CD of Italian music and poetry.
In 2005, he was awarded the City of Asti's (Italy) Journalism Prize for his work focusing on that area. He has also won awards from the Milwaukee Press Club.
He has be heard on 88Nine Radio Milwaukee talking about his "Urban Spelunking" series of stories, in that station's most popular podcast.
