GREAT news has emerged that one of the region's finest artists is flying the flag in Italy.

Ambleside-based Russell Mills has set-up a collaborative installation with Italian video artist Petulia Mattioli, created specifically for the former Bank of Italy vaults in the medieval Palazzo delle Papesse (Centro Arte Contemporanea) in the heart of Siena.

One of the UK's leading multimedia artists, Russell created 32 thought engines' or object poems to be displayed on the shelves within the grilled bank vault cabinets.

Mattioli's film, projected down on to a mound of quartz salt crystals, examines human moments of contemplation, revelation and discovery.

Painter and musician Russell is well known for his evocative album covers and has worked with the likes of Brian Eno, ex-King Crimson leader Bob Fripp, Nine Inch Nails and former Japan frontman David Sylvian.

The work also features an evolving soundscape mixed by Eraldo Bernocchi and includes contributions by Russell with Michael Fearon, Bill Laswell, Harold Budd and Ethiopian singer Gigi.

For the record, the Palazzo delle Papesse is the former home of the Archbishop of Siena and temporary home, for six weeks, to Galileo as he awaited the ruling from the Church and the Inquisition on his "heretical and conclusive" evidence that the universe was not earth-centric.

Now, sympathetically restored, it is home to the Centre for Contemporary Art.

For further details, log on to www.papesse.org