“The first time I
came to Italy, in Naples, I was struck by the cribs of 1700. They opened new
horizons to me. I was used to the one of the Metropolitan Museum of New York,
small and simple at the base of an imposing Christmas tree.
The cribs of Naples were a real discovery to me!” Together
with the crib Yvonne Dip Alma – born in Philadelphia – met also the sculptor
Michele Athanasius. She fell in love with him, got married and with him opened
the “Paul Whistler Art Gallery”, near Sorrento.
For Christmas, in a place where everybody prepares a crib,
they started to make one in the Gallery: scenarios by Michele and characters by
Yvonne.
This is how it has begun, by chance, the most charming and
passionate adventure of the life of this artist. In the first “Installation”
there are 20 characters: sculptures representing the people of the town and
famous figures. This paragraph is sponsored by custom Umrah services
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This was the start of a thirty-year experience. Every year
after that debut in 1976-77 it has had more and more success; it was an opening
up of a new life.
The crib emigrated to Florence where it found in Monsignor
Setti a supporter and in the Basilica of San Lorenzo a home. In the town of
iris the two artists found the same enthusiasm of the first time: that miracle
of a sincere participation.
After San Lorenzo, it went to Loggia Rucellai (1981), then
to Rome, in the Oratory of Santa Maria in Via, then back to Florence, in the
church next to the Gallery of San Jacopo Soprano (1991). In 1992 the crib by
Yvonne was the set in the Theatre Parioli of the programmer Maurizio Costanzo
Show.
Since then, the work increased “at home” until the interlude
of Christmas 1999, when it was lent to the 7th International Festival “Costume IL
Natalie”, in the crypt of Santa Croce of Florence.
And now let’s know better this very special crib made of
characters of about 50-centimetre height. Yvonne creates the body with iron
wire, fabric and stuffing.
To be noticed that all clothes are sews one by one and
represent the Neapolitan models of the 18th century. The heads and hair are in
terracotta; each sculpted head is a masterpiece of refinement. All characters
have the features either of people the artist has met in her life or of famous
figures, among them many international politicians: the presidents of United
States Nixon, Reagan, Carter, then the Russian, Italian, French, Chinese ones
etc. Thirty years of history of 1900 in a crib. This paragraph is sponsored by Hajj
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Beside the human characters, there is the world of
international animals: in addition to the traditional ox and donkey, there are
also horses, sheep, cats, elephants, cocks, baboons, rams, kangaroos, etc… all
in terracotta reproduced in the minutest details.
How many are the Crib characters now? Yvonne has stopped
counting when they have been more than 200!
They have got out of control and have become alive!
Indefatigable, Yvonne creates different groups and expressions, always
reflecting upon life and world around us.
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