It was officially unveiled on Sunday, May 21 as a “beacon” for Italian-American culture.
Its name is “Tower of Light” (Torre di Luce), a magnificent work of art created by Venetian master sculptor Giorgio Bortoli on the grounds of the Garibaldi-Meucci Museum in Staten Island, New York – an association owned and administered respectively by the Sons of Italy Foundation and the New York State Grand Lodge of the Order of the Sons and Daughters of Italy in America (OSDIA),
Created by Bortoli in 1999, the work of art is nearly 12 meters high and is made of steel and surrounded by Murano glass. The one-of-a-kind piece is an artistic representation of the twinning of Venice’s St. Mark’s Tower and New York’s Metropolitan Life Tower, with the intent of creating a bridge between the two cities – both characterized by water, art and culture (as the Metropolitan Life Tower was modeled on St. Mark’s Tower).
In donating his work to the Garibaldi-Meucci Museum, Bortoli said: “The Venice-New York project has been a labor of love for the past four years, shared by numerous protagonists without whom such a complex project could not finally be on the verge of coming to fruition.
Carl Ciaccio, Chairman of the GMM Board of Commissioners/Directors, is also enthusiastic: “The Venice-New York project has been a labor of love for the past four years, shared by numerous protagonists without whom such a complex project could not finally come to fruition.”
In speaking with the President of the Sons of Italy Foundation (SIF), Comm. Joseph Sciame added: “This is an incredible addition to all that the OSDIA has preserved since 1919 taking over the grounds and house now called the Garibaldi-Meucci Museum. This piece will enhance the current grounds and attract thousands of people we hope in the spirit of “light” that oftentimes exists in a darkened world. We have prepared well, raised sufficient dollars to meet the needs for the arrival of the Tower and thanks to the generosity of 30 donors we have benches dedicated to them surrounding the Tower, and so we all are genuinely moved by this sculptured gift to the GMM.”
The Garibaldi-Meucci Museum, home of inventor Antonio Meucci and his wife Esterre, was built in 1843 and became the home of General Giuseppe Garibaldi from 1851 to 1953 during his stay in New York. The artifacts are preserved at the museum, which is also home to numerous programs that include Italian classes at various levels, as well as children’s programs, lectures, and visits by numerous U.S. and foreign citizens, particularly Italians.
