This event is part of a series – see below for details.January 9, 2026 10:00 a.m.
Collected Archive: Works by Salvatore Mancini from the Joseph A. Chazan, M.D. Collection in Support of WaterFire
Event Details
Collected Archive: Works by Salvatore Mancini from the Joseph A. Chazan, M.D. Collection in Support of WaterFire
On view in the gallery at the WaterFire Arts Center
475 Valley Street, Providence, RI 02908
Curated by Candita Clayton
Exhibition on View: Thursday, January 8 – Sunday, January 25, 2026
Artist Reception: Thursday, January 15, 6:00–8:00 p.m.
Documentary Screening: Saturday, January 24, 1:00 p.m. & 3:00 p.m. (moved from Sunday, January 25, due to snow.)
Collected Archive presents a selection of black-and-white works by Salvatore Mancini, drawn from the Joseph A. Chazan Collection. On view for a limited three-week period, these images form a visual record of Providence and other locations throughout Rhode Island, places shaped not by spectacle, but by familiarity, repetition, and lived experience.
Mancini’s photographs are attentive and restrained. Working in black and white, he removes the distraction of color to focus on structure, light, and spatial rhythm. Streets, buildings, shorelines, and neighborhoods appear neither romanticized nor monumentalized. Instead, they are observed with steadiness and care. The resulting images occupy a space between documentation and interpretation, allowing viewers to encounter Rhode Island as it is seen, remembered, and quietly held.
The notion of an “archive” here is both literal and poetic. These works have been collected over time and preserved through thoughtful stewardship. They are brought together to reflect a sustained commitment to regional artists and the places they depict. At the same time, the archive is incomplete by nature. It is open-ended, subjective, and shaped by what is chosen to be seen and saved.
Collected Archive invites viewers to slow down and look closely. In doing so, it underscores the value of collecting not only as an act of acquisition but also as a means of honoring place, artistic vision, and the ongoing relationship between artist, collector, and community.
Gallery Hours: Wednesday – Sunday, 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.; Thursday until 9:00 p.m.
Admission is free and open to all; donations are encouraged.
ABOUT THE COLLECTION & ARTWORK SALES
The works in Collected Archive are part of the Joseph A. Chazan, M.D. Collection, assembled in deep support of Rhode Island artists. Honoring Dr. Chazan’s wishes, and through the continued generosity of the Chazan Family, 100% of proceeds from all artwork sales benefit WaterFire Providence.
All works in the exhibition can be purchased in person at the WaterFire Arts Center. Visit Candita Clayton Gallery’s online catalogue.
Explore additional works from the Joseph A. Chazan, M.D. Collection through our digital catalogue, featuring selected pieces currently available for purchase and on view at the WaterFire Providence offices.
WaterFire Providence gratefully acknowledges curator Candita Clayton for her thoughtful selection of works and care in shaping this exhibition.
EVENTS
Artist Reception
Thursday, January 15 | 6:00–8:00 p.m.
Join us for a special artist reception celebrating Collected Archive. This informal gathering offers an opportunity to experience the exhibition, connect with fellow supporters, and learn more about the works on view.
Documentary Screening
Saturday, January 24 | 1:00 p.m. & 3:00 p.m. (moved from Sunday, January 25 due to snow.)
Divine Providence: The Rebirth of an American City, a 58-minute documentary by Salvatore Mancini, tells the story of Providence, Rhode Island, from its colonial period through its century of greatness, decline, and ongoing rebirth. The film highlights four key phases of the city’s renaissance, including the relocation of railroad tracks and rivers, the Capital Center Project, and the I-195 bridge relocation, while exploring Providence’s rich architectural heritage.
Featuring architects, planners, developers, and historians, the documentary shows how the city’s historic buildings and urban fabric have shaped its identity and vitality, offering viewers a fresh perspective on Providence’s past, present, and future.
ABOUT THE ARTIST
“This collection of Rhode Island photographs is very important to me. It honors and remembers the Rhode Island experience. Many of the works were commissioned by Dr. Chazan, who filled his dialysis units with artwork by Rhode Island artists so patients could engage with art during treatment. The photographs capture locations familiar to those patients, from factory sites to the neighborhoods where they grew up, allowing them to reconnect with the landscapes that shaped their daily lives.” — Salvatore Mancini
Salvatore Mancini is a Rhode Island based photographer. He was born in Itri, Italy in 1947 and emigrated with his family in 1952 to the United States. His photographic career of fifty years has been highlighted by extensive travels around the world, an intense interest in varied subject matters and a recipient of artistic awards and fellowships. Some of the subjects he has photographed are Italian immigrants in Rhode Island, religious shrines from around the world, Rock Art for the American southwest, the industrial revolution of the Blackstone River Valley, the deinstitutionalization of Rhode Island’s State hospitals, Narragansett Bay, and most recently, ”Shrines of Healing”. He has received Rhode Island’s Pell Award and Italy’s Bolaffi Prize as well as numerous grants from the Rhode Island State Council for the Arts and Rhode Island Council for the Humanities to support different projects. His photographs have been exhibited, published and collected throughout America and Europe and China.
Salvatore Mancini was featured in the 2008 NetWorks Rhode Island catalogue. Initiated in 2008 by Rhode Island arts patron Dr. Joseph A. Chazan and concluding in 2016, NetWorks Rhode Island was a visual arts documentary project that profiled more than 100 Rhode Island-based artists, highlighting the richness and diversity of the state’s professional arts community.
Mancini’s work was included in NetWorks Rhode Island and the Chazan Collection: A Half-Century of RI Artistic Patronage, a large-scale exhibition held at the WaterFire Arts Center in summer 2024. A companion exhibition, Growing the NetWorks, was presented at the WaterFire Arts Center in summer 2025, expanding the project through artists nominated by original NetWorks participants.
Organizer
