COLLINSVILLE – Collinsville’s 2015 Italian Fest exhibition (“Exploring Venice and The Veneto”) takes visitors to Venice, Italy — that fascinating city on the water — and into Venice’s biggest pre-Lenten party of Carnevale. Carnevale is also the theme for this year’s Italian Fest.
The display is open now through Sept. 30 at the Collinsville Library, 408 West Main.
Visitors will be able to see rare Venetian and Veneto pieces — many brought here from Italy. The Carnevale mask collection includes beautiful, ornate masks of the type worn at Venice’s balls and rare, hand-made, leather masks worn hundreds of years ago during these celebrations. The leather masks, part of a St. Louis collection, were made by Renzo Antonello, one of today’s prominent mask makers in Italy.
The exhibit then take visitors on a tabletop walk through Veneto’s diverse regions — extending from the Dolomite Mountains to the Adriatic Sea.
“The ancient wall drawings from the Val d’Assa area are very interesting, ” said Annette Graebe, who curated the exhibit with friend Sharon McAley. “One looks like a person from another world,” she said.
Other display items include artisan pieces, Murano glassware, Venetian gondolas, and more.
Free admission. Hours of the library are Mon. – Thurs. (9 a.m.-8 p.m.), Fri. & Sat. (9a.m.-5 p.m.), Sunday (1-5 p.m.) The library will be open 1-5 p.m. on Sept. 25. For more information, call (618) 344-1112.
