Meet the Venetians - Part 2

LUCIA VALLE

Venetian attendant for Judy Millar, Chiesa La Maddelena

Born: Venice, 1979 (Aquarius)

Lives: Cannaregio, Venice, Italy

Occupation: Church/Museum attendant

Political views: Liberal

Languages: Venetian, Italian, basic French, basic English

Lucia earned her Laurea in Cultural Heritage at Universita Ca Foscari. While she is currently employed as an attendant for many Venetian churches and museums, such as Museo Diocesano Sant’Appollonia, she is keen to rediscover her creativity working with ceramics and in sculpture. In time she would also like to curate and coordinate art exhibitions here in Venice. While Lucia was born in Venice, she still finds the city beguiling and unique, where unexpected encounters can be an every day occurrence. Travel is a priority, particularly to locations with vast open countryside and mountains to explore. Lucia believes there is a huge generation gap in Italy manifested by its political milieu and dominated by conservative Catholic ideology. She insists that the chasm is so wide that it is often difficult for the younger generation to have a voice, which she finds frustrating. This view is shared the majority of the Venetian attendants. Lucia’s interests are broad and eclectic, straddling the arts, sciences and cuisine...with the occasional Judy Garland movie thrown in for good measure.

 

MARIA MALTAURO

Venetian attendant for Judy Millar, Chiesa La Maddelena

Born: Vicenza (her mother is Venetian)

Lives: San Polo, Venice, Italy

Occupation: Church/Museum attendant

Political views: Complicated

Languages: Italian, English, basic French, basic German

Maria studied in Vicenza until tertiary level and subsequently moved to Venice where she enrolled at Universita Ca Foscari to gain her Laurea in Italian Literature. Currently, she is employed part time for IMAGO (a Venetian organization for churches and museums), as a guide. Maria is hoping to find a new job but laments that the opportunities in Venice are stagnant, which is why many Venetians who do not work in fields around tourism or arts heritage and conservation generally seek employment in other regions of Italy. While Maria has traveled extensively around Europe including England, Austria, Germany, Yugoslavia, Slovenia and France, she would love to visit New Zealand to hike in the mountains. Maria adores Venice for its tranquility and lack of cars, and the fact that the city still offers surprises even after living here for so many years. Maria has two brothers, one who resides in Vicenza and the other in Rome. She has a dog called Liz, two cats named Fatina and Fusolino, and three kittens called Spot, Tris and Rossolino. Maria is amused by the fact that at one time Venice had many resident cats, but since they were removed from the island, rats are evidently on the increase.

 

EMILIANO RAVAGNAN

Venetian attendant for Judy Millar, Chiesa La Maddelena

Born: Aviano, 1976 (Aquarius) (both parents are Venetian)

Lives: Mestre, Venice, Italy

Occupation: Church/Museum attendant

Political views: Pro Berlusconi

Languages: Italian, Venetian, basic English

Emiliano has been resident in Venice since he was born. At present he lives with his mother and has one sister who lives nearby them in Mestre. Emiliano gained his Laurea at Universita Ca Foscari in Computer Science and has been employed by IMAGO since April, working between church venues in and around the city. As well as being the only male in the team, Emiliano is also the sole Berlusconi supporter, much to the dismay of his Venetian colleagues. The quiet and tranquil aspect of Venice, despite the tourists, appeals to him, as does the slow pace of life. He is, however, greatly perturbed by the amount of litter that is generated every day as well as the magnitude of graffiti that seems to populate a vast majority of Venetian buildings. Emiliano takes his work very seriously and can often be seen studying the guide to La Maddelena church in earnest, intermittently reporting his findings with great enthusiasm and to the amusement of the New Zealand attendants.

Comments

Shelley,
I really like your blog on the Venetian attendants. What a nice idea to pay tribute to them and to pull them out of anonymity. Thanks very much.
Leonhard