Beauty For Health

An Italian Poet and a California Photographer Re-new an Ancient Idea

The spiritual truth of poetry and the beauty of flowers, when harmoniously united, bring joy and delight in the heart. For this reason, they are gifts that in every culture on Earth best express love. Plato and Aristotle saw beauty as "the splendor of truth." Dostoevsky believed it could save the world.

Two artists from distant points on the globe, Italian poet Franco Salerno, who gives voice to Beauty and Truth in the language of Dante, and California nature photographer Viktoria Vidali, who captures the essence and splendor of flowers, will collaborate in creating magnificent art posters to be published in Italy in 2009.

The Salerno/Vidali artistic creations will help inaugurate and support an artisanal learning institute to be lodged in Castello di Vignanello or Villa Ruspoli outside Viterbo, near Rome, Italy. The project will be 50% funded by the European Community.

Originally part of the papal estates, Castello di Vignanello was built in the Ninth Century by Benedictine monks, and, in the course of its long history, has been the home of noble families who made renovations, culminating in the final modifications by Ottavia Orsini in 1610. Today Castello di Vignanello is owned by the Ruspoli Princesses. Franco Salerno and le principesse enjoy the friendship of the heirs of Royal House of Savoy. Aldo Salerno, Franco's father, was the founder of the Socialist Monarchic Party in 30's and 40's under Italian King Umberto II of the Royal House of Savoy.

The estate's garden, considered one of the most beautiful parterres in Italy, will become the venue for the institute's artistic gardening courses. Dr. Salerno and Viktoria Vidali will work together to compile photographic records of this unfolding project. The art posters will couple Vidali's photography of the castle gardens with verses from Salerno's Nel Silenzio, Il Canto Del Mondo (In the Silence, The Song of the World).

For additional information, contact Viktoria Vidali.

NOTE: When traveling to distant lands for our vacations, we seek out beautiful places that renew body and soul.  Instinctively we know what restores us. Our everyday living and working environments should offer no less. They can manifest that sought-after beauty and health through harmonious accents that provide uplifting visual and mental images. To glimpse some of these accents, see a sampling of Viktoria's current collection. The Salerno/Vidali posters will be available for purchase on this website in 2009.