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FEATURED PROJECTS - THE PICCIRILLI BROTHERS

The Foundation sponsors many projects and activities aimed at promoting Italian-American excellence and highlighting the immense contribution that Italians have made to the United States throughout history

Among many other initiatives CCF, in the first 2023 has sponsored a documentary on the Piccirilli Brothers, Italian sculptors who changed the face of public works in the United States with iconic sculptures.

The masterly Piccirilli brothers set up a shop in the Bronx and used hammers and chisels to create some of the most important public sculptures in the city.
We were delighted to host the Italian American Podcast earlier last year for the taping of an episode with Eduardo Montes-Bradley describing his work and how he came to be interested in the Piccirilli, their Bronx carving workshop and school, the enduring legacy of their extraordinary works of art.

Columbus Citizens Foundation is thrilled to be a partner with Eduardo Montes-Bradely in the creation of this documentary that sheds light on an important aspect of Italian American culture. All immigrants have contributed to the betterment of the United States in very profound ways


It is clear that one of Italy’s great exports to the United States was extraordinarily talented craftspeople like the Piccirilli who contributed their skills but also the understanding of the importance of monumental creations to telegraph important messages about national values, aesthetics, and signaling a sense of community and prosperity. Here in NY, their works are visible all around us, from the Lions in front of the Public Library to decorative sculpture at St. Bart’s, the frieze at Rockefeller Center, and the Fireman’s Memorial in Riverside Park—to name just a few sites. And travel to DC and their work is visible at the Lincoln Memorial and the White House.
 
We are excited to see the documentary on the Piccirilli and their work to be ready for viewing at the end of 2024. This is an important contribution to understanding how deeply embedded Italian culture is in the United States. It is not just the story of immigration, but the peeling away the layers to understand that Italian cultural values are very much a part of the American national narrative. 

If you would like to contribute to this significant documentary, please click here or call the office and we will be happy to speak with you.

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