PLACES THAT STILL MATTER The Academy Rewcirds The American Academy in Rome promotes scholarship and_offers a creative haven. PATRICIA MORRISROE spends a heady week where ivory tower meets Eternal City. he gods may not be wearing Prada, but they are Three hundred sixty guests mingle in the lemon gardens in the certainly smiling down onJaniculum Hill, where main courtyard, the crowd a fascinating blend of worlds that rarely the designer herself is being honored at the Amer­ collide: art and fashion stars alongstde archaeologists, historic ican Academy in Rome's annual McKim Gala. preservationists, landscape architects and classical studies scholars. After a long rainy spell, the weather has cleared, There's Zaha Hadid, the Pritzker prize- winning arc;hitect who the sunset equal to the setting. Perched on the designed Rome's new MAXXI museum; Franca Sozzani, editor highest spot within Rome's ancient city walls, Villa Aurelia is in chief of Italian Vogi1e; art dealer Larry Gagosian; Carla Fendi; the jewel in the academy's 11 -acre, ten-building compound. The and Sid and Mercedes Bass, who have made the academy one of 17th-century Baroque palazzo is set on four acres of classical gar­ their philanthropic pet projects. dens with rows of lemon trees, a grove of umbrella pines and a After dinner in the secluded Secret Garden, Adele Chatfield­ long entry drive lined with blue and white African daisies. Taylor, the academy's president, presents Miuccia Prada with IVIVIV.DEPARTURES.CO/lf 153 PLACES THAT STILL MATTER ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ the McKim Medal for her innova- The medal was named for Charles architecture, historic preservation, design, tive fashion work and' her promotion Follen McKim, the prominent 19th­ literature, music composition and visual of the visual arts through Fondazione century architect who wanted America to arts. Prizewinners receive a stipend of Prada. Past recipients include architect have its own national school in Rome the $13,000 to $26,000 and can stay at the Renzo Piano, writer Umberto Eco and way France was represented by the Ecole academy for six or 11 months, drawing painter Cy Twombly, who designed the des Beaux-Arts. In 1884 he founded the on all its resources, including its well­ gold medal that was then crafted by the American School of Architecture, which connected staff. "They can get you into I 'Who needs sleep?" says a fellow. "I love my work, so being awake means more time for it." Italian jeweler Vhernier. It dangles from in 1911 merged with the American places you'd never dream you'd be able a bright scarlet and orange ribbon and School of Classical Studies. They became to gain access to," says Drew Beattie, a clashes with the designer's fuchsia silk the American Academy in Rome, a cen­ painter and a Harvard lecturer who was a / top in a very Prada way. "We would ter for independent study in the arts visual arts fellow in 1995 and is currently have never thought she'd stay this long," and humanities. Every year, through a president of the Society of Fellows. whispers one of the party organizers at national, juried competition, the school Throughout the year the fellows are the end of the evening. "But look at awards approximately 30 Rome Prize joined by visiting scholars and artists, ful­ her- she's beaming!" fellowships in 18 disciplines, including filling McKim's dream of a collaborative 154 WWW.DEPARTURES.CO/If PLACES THAT STILL MATTER ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ MEETING OF THE MINDS Every year the academy has a gala to award Its McKlm Medal (crafted by Vhernier and named for its founder, Charles Follen McKim). Designer Miuccia Prada (bottom right) was this year's recipient, and the crowd of 360 that swept into the lemon gardens of the school's Villa Aurelia included academy president Adele Chatfield-Taylor (top left), art dealer Larry Gagos ian (bottom left) and architect Zaha Had ld (top cen ter). haven where the community is inspired The McKim Gala is just one of the Until recently, only trustees could partic­ not only by Rome but also by the daily many highlights of the annual Trustees Trip, ipate in th~ activities, but the independently exchange of ideas. Chatfield-Taylor, who which takes place every spring to coincide financed academy, which will celebrate its has been the academy's president since with the fellows' year-end events. The centenary in 2011 , wanted to broaden 1988, was once a design arts fellow and offerings are incredibly rich and varied, its reach. It established the International describes that experience as the greatest of from an exclusive preview of the MAXXI Council and members can attend many of her life. A historic preservationist by train­ (the National Museum of the 21st Century the events slated for Trustees Week, as well ing, she was drawn to Rome by what she Arts) to a tour of "Galileo's Rome.,,- In as lectures, concerts and parties in both calls "a wonderful layering effect." addition, fellows give readings and con­ New York and Rome, for an annual fee of "Few cities in the world offer such an certs and open their studios to show what $5,000 (see "The People's Academy"). opportunity to see that kind of complex they've been working on during the year. "It's really a great opportunity to enjoy evolution," she explains. "That's what the Stephen Westfall, who teaches at Bard some of the same insider experiences," fellows are responding to-the richness College and Rutgers University, did a series says Suz;nne "Qeal Booth, the council's and depth."When she took over the acad­ of abstract paintings in reaction to Rome's chairwoman, when we meet on the run emy, it was falling apart and looked as if it "layered urban environment." Robert at the Caravaggio exhibit. I'd love to hear might close down. "It was a preservation Hammond, one of the people responsible more about it, but Westfall is saying some­ project writ large," she says. "We spent for New York's High Line, turned his sights thing fascinating about the angel in the twenty years and $35 million renovating to the Tiber River. He transformed a sec­ Annunciation, while a few feet away Storr is ten major buildings and all the gardens. tion of a walkway into an event-" Chance talking about the painter's "strict geometry." Having benefited from the academy, I Encounter on the Tiber"-that combined Who to listen to? Where to look? There knew why it had to be protected." movable seating and m.usic performance. are too many choices. Should I go to 15 6 WWW.DEPARTURES.COAi PLACES THAT STILL MATTER ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ the Philip Guston show? Or on a walk of what it's like to sleep in a Beaux-Arts to see five medieval churches? And what THE PEOPLE'S "dorm" filled with the smartest, most about the tour of the underground ACADEMY talented kids at school. "It is intense," cult sites, including the lower levels of he says. "You can practically feel the the Basilica of San Clemente which, ecoming a trustee at the American energy through the walls. It makes it Chatfield-Taylor says, represents Rome's Academy in Rome requires selec­ hard to sleep." "layering effect" to the max? Btion by a nominating committee; "Who needs sleep?" asks archaeolo­ For a newcomer, all this can be a little however, the public ck still participate gist Brian Rose. "I love my work so in its events and programs through one dizzying. Perhaps it is the lofty setting or of the school's councils. Members of much that being awake just gives me the academy's long history as an incu­ the International Council (annual fee, more time for it." Rose, president of bator of American creativity-Aaron 5,000) make a yearly trip to the acad­ the Archaeological Institute of America Copland, Thornton Wilder, Michael emy, where they meet with leaders and and a professor of archaeology at the attend events that feature fellows' work. Graves, William Styron and Frank Stella This year's events included the Fellows' University of Pennsylvania, was a fellow are just a few of the people who found Annual Year-End Concert, a viewing of in 1992 and is now a trustee. For the inspiration here-but even lunch is a a Roman sarcophagus, an archaeologi­ past 30 years he has overseen Greek and cal study and guided visits to the heady experience. It is served in the MAXXI and MACRO museums. Mem­ Roman excavations in Tur~y, where he courtyard of the main building, a 130- bers also attend the Academy's Annual unearthed a larger-than-lite statue of room travertine palazzo where most of Cabaret in New York, which features Roman emperor Hadrian and a portrait the fellows work and sleep. The building past fellows alongside widely recog­ head of the Roman emperor Augustus. nized performers like Lou Reed and is one of only two structures outside Laurie Anderson. In a few weeks he's off to Turkey again. North America designed by McK.im, For those looking to get involved on a After several such conversations I slip Mead and White. Even the food comes smaller scale, Friends of the Academy into the building's main salon for a break. (annual fee, S75- S25,000) offers a variety with a pedigree: In 2007, with help from of options. For a S75 donation, members There I meet the Tony award-winning Alice Waters, the academy instituted the receive an invitation to the annual Janet playwright John Guare, the author of Rome Sustainable Food Project, plant­ and Arthur Ross Rome Prize ceremony Six Degrees of Separation and the husband ing an organic garden and establishing as well as the yearly calendar of events at of Chatfield-Taylor.