Orvieto artist Valentini dies at 87
7/23/2008 10:50 PM   0 comment(s) on this story E-mail this story to a friend



By HALEY HUGHES

Staff writer

The world lost a great artist and Partners in Friendship (PIF) lost one of its most fervent champions upon the passing of Livio Orazio Valentini, according to PIF co-founder George Custodi.

The news reached Custodi Wednesday. Valentini, also PIF's co-founder and a renowned artist, had been ill for some time. He was 87 years old.

A chance meeting between Custodi and Valentini in Orvieto, Italy, years ago formed the foundation which PIF stands on today. The two shared a common desire -- to see their two cities form a partnership that would enrich their citizens' lives and benefit both Aiken and Orvieto. Thus, PIF was born, which provides a cultural, educational and commercial exchange between the two cities.

Orvieto serves as Aiken's partnership city and the Italian city was where Valentini lived and worked.

As part of the joint venture, area high school students travel abroad every other year to Orvieto as part of a two-week summer exchange. The trip is funded by scholarships generated by PIF fundraisers. In alternate years, students from Italy visit Aiken. In fact, a group is here now, staying with local host families.

Custodi said it is bittersweet knowing Valentini passed away while a group of young people from Orvieto are in Aiken carrying out his dream of fostering close ties between the two cities.

"The money we raised helped to fulfill his dream of fostering closer relationships between the youth of our two cities," Custodi said. "He loved young people."

Custodi said Valentini himself visited Aiken at least 10 times since PIF was created.

In 1999, Valentini spent a semester at USC Aiken as a guest lecturer and artist-in-residence. Two of his works -- "La Principessa nel Sole di Aiken" and "Odissea" -- were gifted to the university and are currently hanging in the Etherredge Center.

"We were very fortunate to have an international artist of Valentini's prominence visit and be part of our campus over the years," said Dr. Thomas Hallman, chancellor of USC Aiken. "We are also fortunate to have several pieces of his artwork on our campus that I know faculty, staff, students and the community will enjoy for many, many years to come. Through his work, Valentini will continue to have an impact in Aiken well into the future."

"La Principessa nel Sole di Aiken" is Valentini's interpretation of a large tree in Hopelands Gardens.

"He said the beauty of Aiken was in its trees and natural setting," Custodi said. "He loved to go to Hopelands and he fell in love with one of those trees."

According to Custodi, Valentini's artistic motivation came from the time he spent as a prisoner of war in the Nazi concentration camp Buchenwald.

"He became very appreciative of the bright side of life," Custodi said. "He dedicated his life to sending a message of hope and rebirth. He was a very artistic person."

Another one of his works, "Galassia," - Italian for galaxy - is intended to show the message of hope in the vast universe and the importance of overcoming the world's horrors.

"He was introspective, kind, generous, intelligent and humanistic," Custodi said. "We have lost a great benefactor. He will be missed."

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