Fernanda Tollemeto was born in Nardò (LE), Italy, on
the 16th June 1943.
She studied at classical lycée
and then she studied mosaic at the Artistic Institute of Rome and sculpture at
the Fine Arts Academy of Rome under Pericle Fazzini. Her leaders in History of
Arts were Vincenzo Golzio, Marisa Volpi, Mario Rivosecchi and Ferdinando
Bologna.
She began her artistic
production in 1962, her first year in the school as a teacher.
In the same year, she knows in Paris Gino Severini, and she restores his mosaics of Universal Expo Palace of Rome.
In 1964, the great Italian poet Ungaretti, after a
good knowledge of her artistic production goaded Fernanda Tollemeto into doing
exhibitions and sharing in the cultural life of that period (9th
Quadrennial Exhibition of Rome, 1st Quadrennial Exhibition of Europe
and a lot of other important exhibitions).
When she was awarded the gold medal by the President of Italian Republic, Carlo Levi, a well-known Italian writer, recognized "her new liberty, innovating the ancient mosaic technique".
The Italian writer Leonida Repaci ordered many pieces
of mosaic work from her about the best contemporary poets.
After many art exhibitions in
Rome, Milan, Brescia, Florence, Prato, Marina di Carrara, Terni, Capo
d'Orlando, Viareggio, Camaiore, S. Caterina, Venice, Osaka, New York, London,
Cannes, Paris, Deauville, Hammamet, Moscow and Leningrad University, she was
holder of a chair of Drawing and History of Art in Milan and now she is holder
of the chair in History of Art in an Experimental University for middle aged
persons in Rome.
Since 1986, Fernanda Tollemeto was asked to bring out
her thematic art-exhibitions from town to town with joint efforts of town
councils, Ministry of Public Instruction and culture or research institutes in
order to promote a new interest in the matter of the ancient and new mosaic
art.
In 1992, Fernanda Tollemeto celebrates her 30 years of
artistic activity in Stamford (N.Y.) and St. Petersburg (Leningrad) on the
occasion of the International Congress of mosaicists.
Fernanda Tollemeto lives and operates in Rome, via
s. G. Emiliani 15 - 00152 – Italy tel/fax:+39-06-58231186;
tel.+39-06-9985236 cell. +39-347-1596167 e-mail