Please join us for the special showing of Joe Blaustein and the Flood of Florence at TAG Gallery.

JOE BLAUSTEIN AND THE FLOOD OF FLORENCE

At age 93, artist Joe Blaustein recalls the 1966 Flood of Florence and the strange confluence of events that led him, his pregnant wife, and his second-hand Rolleiflex to the city the night the floodwaters rose to historic and devastating levels.

In November 1966, the city of Florence, Italy suffered a historically devastating flood. The loss of life and damage to countless priceless artworks and artifacts are still felt throughout the city (and world) today. American artist Joe Blaustein, now 98, who was visiting the Vatican with his wife and a group of friends at the time, serendipitously arrived in Florence the night the floodwaters rose. Over the next five days, he shot 9 rolls of Ektachrome slide film (the only color photos of the disaster) documenting the horrific damage inflicted on the city. 50 years later, Joe’s images are receiving some much-deserved attention, while his recollection of the events reveals a past both joyous and heartbreaking.

Filmmaker Alan Griswold is an artist, writer, director, and producer. He graduated Cum Laude in 1996 from Washington University in St. Louis with degrees in Sculpture and Literature, and is currently the President and co-owner of Monkey Deux, a Clio award-winning creative agency and production company in Los Angeles, CA.