Coralina Cataldi-Tassoni is no stranger to the Italian horror and giallo genres. She was discovered by Dario Argento while appearing on Italian television, after which he cast her as Sally in his production of Lamberto Bava's Demons 2. After capturing the director's attention with her lively performance he wrote a role specifically with her in mind -- that of the seamstress Giulia in his film Opera. However, Coralina was no stranger to the world of opera, being the daughter of two prominent opera figures and the granddaughter of a Maestro who conducted for Puccini.

She was able to work alongside several other notable directors, including Lamberto Bava, Pupi Avati, Luciano Odorisio, and Andrea Manni. Eventually she teamed back up with Argento to host his short lived Italian TV series, Giallo - La tua impronta del venerdi in 1987. The show boasted Argento presenting explanations for his films' special effects as well as premiering a series of short thrillers under the umbrella title, Turno di notte, and a series of short films, Gli incubi di Dario Argento.

The maestro director cast her in Phantom of the Opera and most recently The Mother of Tears, and somehow between it all she managed to foster an art career. She defines her paintings as "personal emotionalism, consisting of feelings, that by chance find their most comfortable setting in the landscape of a human face or body." And that's exactly what you'll get at her latest exhibit, Smart Innocence.

Check out the details after the jump and let us know if you attend.

Exhibition dates: July 15 to September 30
Reception: July 15 (Coraline Cataldi-Tassoni will be present)

Hours:
Monday–Thursday 5:30 pm to 11:00 pm
Friday 5:30 pm to 11:30 pm
Saturday 11:00 am to 11:30 pm
Sunday 11:00 am to 11:00 pm

Place:
Matilda Tuscan Mexican Cuisine
647 East 11th Street, NYC 10009
215-777-3355 www.matildarestaurant.com

Visit Coralina Cataldi-Tassoni's official website for more details and to learn about her other upcoming exhibitions and projects.