Wednesday, October 29

The Watts Towers — a complex of multistoried structures decorated in pique assiette — were created over the course of three decades by a determined artist, Sabato "Sam" Rodia, an Italian immigrant laborer who wanted to do "something big" and ended up creating an internationally renowned architectural wonder.

Featuring fresh and innovative examinations, Sabato Rodia's Towers in Watts (Fordham University Press, 2014) is a much-anticipated reappraisal of the man and his work. The book, edited by Luisa Del Giudice, compiles essays from twenty authors, offering perspectives from the arts, the academy, and the communities involved in the towers' preservation and interpretation. Sabato Rodia's Towers in Watts presents a well-rounded tribute to a magnificent art environment.

Organizing Institution: Calandra Italian American Institute