Listening to Liberty
A collaboration between Kent State University and Opera di Santa Croce
“Listening to Liberty” describes the pioneering collaborations within and beyond Kent State University that enable an interactive international conversation on “What is Liberty Today?” and “How has the concept of liberty evolved?”
Design Innovation to Divine Innovation
How a visit to the Basilica Santa Croce sparked innovation at Kent State
In June 2018, the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, Executive Director of the Design Innovation Initiative, and Director of the Kent State Florence Program met in the Basilica Santa Croce with the curatorial leadership of the “Opera di Santa Croce,” and through divine innovation, a year-long collaboration was born!
The Kent State collaborative team saw an opportunity to leverage unique digital and interactive visualization technologies and platforms from the Kent State’s College of Arts & Sciences, Design Innovation Initiative, Wick Poetry Center, College of the Arts, College of Aeronautics and Engineering and College of Architecture and Environmental Design to enhance audience engagement in reflecting on and discussing the concept of “Liberty.”
Kent State sent a research team to 3D scan and digitally capture Pio Fedi’s “Liberty of Poetry” statue, located in the Cathedral Santa Croce in Florence, Italy; utilizing the very high-resolution scan data to create a 3D-printed replica to scale. The nearly-full-scale reproduction will enable visitors to witness the Italian predecessor to the U.S. Statue of Liberty located directly across Ellis Island to Liberty Island.
Listening to Liberty
Explore stories of art, architecture, and liberty with the Wick Poetry Center’s Listening Wall
As a part of the collaboration, Kent State also provides a Listening Wall, an interactive digital tool created by the Wick Poetry Center, that will allow a creative exploration of the relationship between Italy and the United States incorporating the themes of art, architecture, liberty, and the human condition. The Listening Wall will allow users to view historical documents, oral histories, and multimedia stories centered on the themes of the exhibit and then to create and share their own poetic reflections.
The Listening Wall will offer a new model for community engagement, connecting present voices with the past, providing a platform for creative and inclusive conversation.
Sisters in Liberty Exhibition
October 11, 2019 – April 26, 2020
Not only will the “Sisters in Liberty” exhibition showcase the “Libertá” statue and installation of the dual-language Listening Wall at the Ellis Island location – it will also link to two other “Listening to Liberty” Listening Wall installations:
- one in the Cloisters of the Cathedral Santa Croce in Florence, Italy
- and one on the Kent Campus
Each of these installations will be linked live so visitors on Ellis Island and in Kent can view the poems and videos that visitors in Florence have created, and vice versa!
Partners in Liberty
Kent State Project Leaders:
Dr. James Blank, Dean, College of Arts and Sciences
J.R. Campbell, Executive Director, Design Innovation Initiative
David Hassler, Director, Wick Poetry Center
Fabrizio Ricciardelli, Ph.D., Director, Kent State University Florence Center
Kent State Project Supporters:
The Burbick Foundation
The Wick Family
The Woodward Foundation

Joshua Talbott, Team Leader, Information Technology – 3D scanning, digital construction, technical project management
Dr. Robert Clements, Associate Professor, Neuroscience – 3D Acquisition and project planning
Tamara Honesty, Assistant Professor, Theatre & Dance – artist commissioned to paint exhibit items
Sandra Morgan, Director of Marketing, College of Arts and Sciences
Trent True, Lecturer – FEF Key Professor, College of Aeronautics and Engineering – Metals manufacturing
Samantha Battaglia – Assist. Casting Technician
Michael Nelson – CAD Mold Design
Jay Onders – Machinist – Physics department
James Maxwell – Videography and Marketing
Stephanie Snyder – Website design
Jason Bogart – Aluminum/Steel Welding
Travis Williams – Finishing/machining rays casting
Tetta Askeland – Painting and finishing assistance
Emma Hisrich – Painting and finishing assistance
Samantha Catone – Painting and finishing assistance
Alex Barnhart – Painting and finishing assistance
Steve Sawicki – Painting and finishing assistance
Brian Seckfort – Painting and finishing assistance
Brendan Ho – College of Architecture and Environmental Design – Vitrine Rhino CAD design
Richard Thomas – Sr. Electronic Technician, Kent State University – Tuscarawas, 3D printing
Simone Falcone, Facility Manager, Kent State University Florence Center
Kent State Listening Wall Project Team:
David Hassler, Director, Wick Poetry Center
Dr. Jessica Jewell, Senior Academic Program Director, Wick Poetry Center
Györgyi Mihályi-Jewell, Assistant Director, Wick Poetry Center
Charles Malone, Program and Outreach Manager, Wick Poetry Center
Stephanie Siciarz, Italian Program Coordinator, Kent State University
Design Team for Listening Wall:
Nate Mucha, Founding Principal, Each + Every
Alex Catanese, Principal Designer, Each + Every
Nate Hobi, Senior Developer, Each + Every
Ryan Hammond, Principal, Each + Every
Technical Partners and Consultants:
Matthew Proske – Visi-Trak – Casting Simulation and Mold Assembly
Company Name: Exact Metrology – Cincinnati Office
https://www.exactmetrology.com/
Contact: Chris Lafferty
chrisl@exactmetrology.com
Phone: 513-813‐4217
Responsible for providing consultations, hardware, and software that enabled the data acquisition and processing steps
Company Name: Freshmade3D – Youngstown
https://www.freshmade3d.com
Contacts: Christopher Tomko | Founder and President
christopher@freshmade3d.com
Phone: 724-624-9437
Rich Wetzel | Co-Founder/CEO
rich@freshmade3d.com
Phone: 234-254-0994
Consultations, 3D printed statue, 3 Lady Italy busts, and 3D modeling artist subcontractor to clean up the models
Kent State in Florence
Kent State’s Florence location provides a rich cultural platform for students to experience and interact with the cultural, architectural, design, science and socio-political past, present and future of Italy. As one of the largest American university presences in Florence, Kent State plays an active role in furthering cultural connection through study abroad experiences.
More information to be added soon!