Media Release 21 Oct 2010
The State Library celebrates the Italian contribution to WA.
Vite Italiane – Italian Lives, the current exhibition at the State Library of Western Australia, explores the history and legacy of Italian migrants in Western Australia. This free exhibition opened from 21 October 2010 and runs until 30 January 2011.
Italy has been the most prolific source of non-English speaking migrants to Western Australia. Between the turn of the century and the 1970s, around 60,000 Italians came to WA in search of opportunity. Today, while the number of people claiming Italian ancestry in Western Australia grows (100,000 according to the latest census), the Italian-born population is ageing and rapidly diminishing. What Italian presence will remain in Western Australia, if any, beyond the lives of the migrant generation?
This exhibition contains a rich assortment of artefacts, photographs and historical documents. The items evoke the complexity of Italian lives in Western Australia and show how Italian migrants have left an indelible impression on the state’s social, cultural and geographic landscapes.
Many of the items displayed are part of the Italian Migrant Archive donated to the State Library at the conclusion of the Vite Italiane: Italian Lives in Western Australia Australian Research Council project.
An excellent range of self-guided education materials accompanies the exhibition. These include fact-sheets, a timeline and other resources which are free to download from: http://www.italianlives.arts.uwa.edu.au/
A free concert by Le Gioie Delle Donne (The Joys of the Women) marked the opening day of the Vite Italiane – Italian Lives exhibition. The songs of The Joys of the Women have stolen the hearts of audiences over many years with their authentic choir singing Italian folk songs performed at the State Library Theatre. A book, also entitled Vite Italiane, will accompany the exhibition. It is due to be released in November 2010 by UWA Publishing and will be available to buy from the State Library Shop.
