The Cornell Art Museum’s newest gallery exhibition, “Impressions of Italy by Ralph Papa,” a dynamic collection of 30 plein air (French for painting “in the open air”) works created during Papa’s summer residencies in Italy over the past decade, opens May 16, 2025. The exhibition showcases the artist’s passion and versatility while exploring the Abruzzo and Percara regions of his Italian ancestry.
“It is an honor and rare opportunity to tell the story of Ralph Papa’s residencies in Italy through this collection of fine paintings,” said Marusca Gatto, cultural arts director at the Delray Beach Downtown Development Authority. “This special invitation to journey with Ralph Papa over the past 10 years, experiencing the Italian regions and cities through the eyes of an important impressionist artist is not to be missed.”
Born in New York City’s East Harlem, Ralph Papa expressed natural drawing and painting abilities since early childhood. Primarily self-taught, in his 20s he did study art and architecture at Queens College and CCNY while painting evenings at the Art Students League. Papa’s works range from studio paintings to figurative portraits and plein air painting. His works are nature inspired painting, drawn from life experience and include personal reflections of family and friends. Most recently, Papa has become an art activist, expressing his passion for creating his own art and regularly teaching drawing and plein air workshops throughout Palm Beach County. Papa had a key role in fostering an art exchange relationship and establishing the Sister City Designation between Boynton Beach, Florida and Farindola, Italy. As a Co-Founder of Plein Air Palm Beach, Signature Member and Past President of the Artists Guild of the Boca Raton Museum of Art, his art is in public and private collections in the US, Canada and Europe.
The Cornell Art Museum is located at 51 N. Swinton Ave., Delray Beach, Fl 33444.