Temple University Rome had the great privilege of hosting Maria Pina Bentivenga as its inaugural Visiting Artist (VA) in residence.

Originally from Basilicata in the south of Italy, Ms. Bentivenga is a contemporary artist and professor of printmaking  based in Rome. Her etchings and artist’s books are exhibited in Italy and abroad, and are part of collections including the Albertina in Vienna and the Istituto Nazionale per la Grafica in Rome. She is a founding member of the InSigna Association in Rome, which promotes and produces artist’s books and fine art prints. She is also a board member of the Associazione Incisori Contemporanei and, since 2016, has been on the board of the International Renate Herold Czaschka Foundation. Ms. Bentivenga is an accomplished professor of printmaking, teaching for many years at the Rome University of Fine Arts (RUFA) and the Accademia di Belle Arti di Roma.  

From mid-October to early December, Ms. Bentivenga worked intensively in the Temple Rome printmaking area, embedding herself alongside students and faculty to develop an ambitious new series of prints conceived specifically for her residency at TUR. Her project focused on diverse sacred spaces in Rome including the Synagogue, the Mosque, and the Ara Coeli Church. She photographed each location, seeking to capture nuances and details of light and space. Taking advantage of Temple Rome’s photo-mechanical processing equipment, the resulting photos were brought back to the studio where they were enlarged, exposed, and developed into photoetching plates. She then worked exhaustively, color proofing and printing on lightweight Japanese papers, to combine the photo plates with her own hand-drawn intaglio plates. The resulting images are subtle reflections on ephemeral qualities of each site. It was her intention that they extend beyond ideas about religion, encouraging reflection on the psychological experience of space, and the convergence of place and spirituality. 

In addition to developing her personal research, Ms. Bentivenga was a frequent guest in Printmaking Workshop, an advanced level course for upper-level printmaking students. She contributed significantly to the class and students followed her project closely, eventually incorporating her photo-intaglio technique to expand their own experience of traditional etching. This type of open, fluid exchange was exactly what was hoped for when the VA program was conceived.

The idea of hosting contemporary artists to develop new projects alongside our students in the Temple Rome printmaking area got its start in the academic year 2021/22. Artists Johnny Plastini and Josè Witteveen completed residencies in the Fall of 2021 and Spring of 2022 respectively at the invitation of Professor Devin Kovach. Recognizing the beneficial impact of these experiences, Dean Emilia Zankina sought to broaden the scope of the initiative by creating an official Visiting Artist in Residence Program. 

Mr. Abram is an alumnus of the Temple Rome program, having studied at TUR in the 1980s while completing his MFA in printmaking at the Tyler School of Art.  Mr. Abram is professor of Art and Queer Studies at Denison University in Granville, OH. His residency was particularly special as Mr. Abram's residency constituted a return to the place that was so transformative for his artistic path. During his Roman tenure, Mr. Abram produced multiple zinc-plate etchings and an expansive series of photopolymer etchings connecting with Queer identity and histories in the Eternal City. As an educator himself, Ron was a natural working with our students. He generously engaged with undergraduates through frequent class visits and a public artist talk. He also did repeat studio visits with our graduate student Henry Rosenberg (who happened to be his former pupil!). Mr. Abram’s presence made the Temple Rome printmaking studio a buzzing hive of activity; the nature of his work opened important dialogue and gave students a model of how they can take on big ideas with humor and beauty. By sharing his story, he demonstrated how they can tap into the transformative power of making art in Rome. 

Giorgia Mascitti was our youngest artist in residence ever, arriving to Rome from her home in Pescara (IT). Ms. Mascitti's residency was marked by a full immersion in the world of intaglio etching. She was a permanent fixture in front of the acid baths down in the basement, completing 10 copper plate etchings and editioning almost as many. Ms. Mascitti was accompanied lockstep by graduating senior printmaking student Olivia Musselman who completed an academic internship as Ms. Mascitti’s assistant. Working alongside Olivia (and often in tandem), Ms. Mascitti made strong bonds with our Fall ‘23 students, modelling how an artist, even a young one, must dedicate rigorous attention and countless hours to their art; but also, that being serious with one's work does not preclude play! 

Marina Ancona is the founder and operator of 10 Grand Press in Brooklyn, NY and Santa Fe, NM. As a master printer, she has published the works of renowned artists such as Nicole Eisenman, Jeff Gibson, and Harmony Hammond. Alongside her professional practice, Ms. Ancona is an active artist and professor of printmaking at Cooper Union. She joyfully embraced the sometimes-chaotic nature of our student print shop and was a frequent class visitor – often spotted giving a secret printing tip to a student to improve their work. She also gave a formal public lecture and did multiple studio visits with our graduate student Francesca Lally. She pursued a project recycling fragments from a salvaged 17th-century Italian architectural manuscript to make paper for her own “luscious” colorful abstractions; a fitting blend of history and contemporary printmaking practice.