IAMLA’s Exhibition The Sicilian Cart: History in Movement · Mostra allo IAMLA sul Carretto...
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THURSDAY, JUNE 29, 2017 www.italoamericano.org L'Italo-Americano 26 W hat really is remark- able about the upcoming exhibition, The Sicilian Cart: History in Movement, hosted at the Italian American Museum of Los Angeles ( IAMLA ) from June 30 th to January 7 th , is that its Executive Director, Marianna Gatto, since she was a child, has been nursing and nourishing an intimate fascination for those exceptional means of transporta- tion turned folkloric art pieces in motion, that are the Sicilian carts, without having even ever seen a full-scale one with her own eyes. Two years ago, Giuseppe Giuffrida – a valuable upholder of a tradition that is rapidly get- ting lost - conceived and curat- ed the itinerant exhibition, MUSCÀ ( Museum of Sicilian Cart ). After the first two edi- tions – held in different loca- tions throughout the historical center of Taormina, Sicily – he is now enthusiastically bringing its family collection to Downtown L.A. Let’s take a peek at the exhi- bition with Marianna Gatto first: What is your personal con- nection to the upcoming exhi- bition, The Sicilian Cart: History in Movement? I have been enchanted by Sicilian carts since I was a child and received a small cart as a present. I did not realize then that the “toy” was based on a real horse-drawn cart! It seemed too fantastic to be possible. My grandmother, Maria Anna Cortese Gatto, was from Lucca Sicula, a village in the province of Agrigento. The Cortese family left Sicily in the late 1800s and entered the United States through the port of Louisiana. Following the aboli- tion of slavery in the United States, many Sicilians served as agricultural laborers in the American South. Her family worked in the fields before sav- ing enough money to send for the family in Sicily, and then moved west. This exhibition is very spe- cial to me because it provides an opportunity to showcase Sicily’s immense beauty and history, and, a century later, represents my family’s immigration story coming full circle. Could you expand on the partnership between IAMLA, MUSCÀ and Dolce & Gabbana in the realization of the exhibi- tion? As part of a City of Los Angeles delegation organized by Councilman Joe Buscaino, IAMLA ’s president Paul Pagnone traveled to Sicily last summer. During his visit to the MUSCÀ exhibition in Taormina, he was captivated by the carts, and befriended the curator, Giuseppe Giuffrida. Paul then introduced Mr. Giuffrida and I via email, and we began chatting about the possibility of putting together an exhibition. The MUSCÀ, and Giuseppe in particular, became wonderful collaborators. It’s not every day that two organizations can assist one another in achiev- ing their respective missions so seamlessly. As a historian, I was interest- ed in using the carts as a vehicle for understanding Sicily, its multi-layered history, and the many cultures that have influ- enced the island. Beyond their striking appearance, carts are fascinating on many levels - from the craftsmanship requir- ing the collaboration of several craftspeople, to the role that the carts played in transmitting cul- ture, history, and values picto- graphically during an era when many people were illiterate. While the motor vehicles long replaced the carts as the primary means of transportation, they continue to occupy a revered place in Sicilian popular culture. The first representation of carts in popular culture that came to mind was Dolce & Gabbana’s recent collections in which the carts’ motif figures prominently. Francesca Guerrini, the IAMLA’s manager of program- ming and outreach, spent many years as a journalist in the fash- ion world. She contacted the iconic Italian fashion house, and we began discussing the exhibi- tion with Dolce & Gabbana’s team. They provided an intro- duction to SMEG, the Italian upscale appliance manufacturer, with which the fashion house collaborated to produce a limit- ed edition of appliances featur- ing the cart’s theme, which we are excited to showcase in the exhibition. And now let’s hear Giuseppe Giuffrida’s take: What drew you to this tra- ditional and extraordinary form of art, the “Sicilian cart”? My namesake grandfather was a carter. He used to drive a traditional cart around Sicily, predominantly carrying fruits and wheat, but also building materials, like red clay and stones. In the 1960s, with the intro- duction of the first motor vehi- cles, the likes of trucks and small vans, he “upgraded” to those new means of ground transportation to deliver the goods. My father, next-to-last of my grandfather’s seven children, was very close to him and, as a tribute, carried on the family tra- dition, by starting twenty years ago a collection of “parade” Sicilian carts, decorated with garish colors. Despite I was only one year old, when my grandpa passed away, I had the chance to hear a lot about him and his carts by some of his friends. VALERIO VIALE IAMLA’s Exhibition The Sicilian Cart: History in Movement LOS ANGELES ITALIAN COMMUNITY I carried out a series of infor- mal chats with artists, musi- cians, carters who had worked with him, most of which were family friends. That fieldwork made up half of my historical investigation, while the other half consisted in studying books about the Sicilian carts. The more I investigated it, the more I got enamored by this fascinating form of art. Could you outline the histo- ry of the exhibition of which you are curator, MUSCÀ ( Museum of Sicilian Cart ) - held for the first two years in Taormina, Sicily, and this year finally in L.A.? Two years ago, I inaugurated the first edition of MUSCÀ at the deconsecrated Church of Mount Carmel (“Chiesa del Carmine”). The exhibition - fea- turing our family collection of Sicilian carts as well as tradi- tional billboards used for the “Opera dei Pupi” (Sicilian Puppets) - lasted only a month, but we had about 2000 visitors. Some of them were second or third generation Sicilian emi- grants visiting their homeland, who shared with me their emo- tion in looking at those pieces of art. It was a touching experience to me as well. Last year, we replicated the second edition in a different location, Taormina’s Communal Library, at the deconsecrated Church of Saint Augustine. This time, the exhibition lasted five months, from May till September. Among our visitors (a total of about 6000), we had the privilege to have VIPs, the likes of actress Susan Sarandon - whose grandfather on her mom’s side, Giuseppe Vincenzo Criscione, hailed from Ragusa, Sicily - Italian model Bianca Balti and Vanity Fair’s Fashion and Style director Michael Roberts. During our second edition, I had the chance to meet with IAMLA ’s President, Paul Pagnone, who felt highly impressed both by the artistic quality of the artworks and the way they were showcased in our exhibition. Depending on the geographi- cal areas, the carts have distinct features. The Palermo’s and Catania’s styles are the two most refined both artistically and in terms of content variety. The carts from Palermo had trapezoidal sideboards and the predominant color was yellow, while the ones from Catania were mainly red painted and had rectangular elements. The Palermo’s arabesque geometries and decorative motifs were inspired by the Norman-Arab culture. The painting style was mostly flat and there was no perspective. The Catania’s painting style was nearer to the Renaissance one. However, the decorative motifs are mainly Baroque, such as acanthus’ leaves or figure- heads (sort of winged sirens), cupids or cherubs. The carts feature also mag- nificent sculpted elements. Among these, the high point is located in the rear and called the “key,” wooden handiwork lock- ing the poles. The highlights of this third edition, on view at IAMLA, are going to be a cart from Palermo, painted (supposedly in the 1960s) with scenes from Ariosto’s Orlando Furioso by Giuseppe Manfrè - an artist from Alcamo, who collaborated also with well-known Italian painter, Renato Guttuso - and built (probably also sculpted in its wooden carvings) by Giovanni Raia. The second cart on view was painted by Antonino Liotta, an artist from Paternò, a town in the province of Catania. In all the area, he was the greatest. The representation is dated, September 20 th 1950, only a few years before Liotta’s death in 1956. It was built by Domenico Morabito - native of Belpasso, a town on the slopes of Mount Etna – and sculpted by Ignazio Russo. The wonderful key is decorated with a scene from Cavalleria Rusticana , while the cart’s left panel is based on Carmen, the right one on Rigoletto , the rear one on Norma. Our exhibition is going to showcase also a marvelous bill- board by Rosario Napoli, very talented poster designer who died at merely nineteen. It was realized in tempera over a sup- port of two brown paper sheets connected in the middle and used to promote a representation of the “ Opera dei Pupi ,” the typical Sicily’s puppet theater, based on Frankish romantic poems such as The Song of Roland or Orlando furioso. Both the Sicilian carts and this traditional marionette the- atrical representation had their golden age from 1930s up until the 1960s. In different ways, they both played a fundamental social function. The first as means of transportation that enabled trade in the island and the second as form of entertain- ment as well as catharsis and social liberation. Giuseppe Giuffrida conceived and curated the itinerant exhibition, MUSCÀ (Museum of Sicilian Cart
Transcript of IAMLA’s Exhibition The Sicilian Cart: History in Movement · Mostra allo IAMLA sul Carretto...
THURSDAY, JUNE 29, 2017www.italoamericano.org L'Italo-Americano 26
What really is remark-able about theupcoming exhibition,
The Sicilian Cart: History inMovement, hosted at the ItalianAmerican Museum of LosAngeles (IAMLA) from June30th to January 7th, is that itsExecutive Director, MariannaGatto, since she was a child, hasbeen nursing and nourishing anintimate fascination for thoseexceptional means of transporta-tion turned folkloric art pieces inmotion, that are the Siciliancarts, without having even everseen a full-scale one with herown eyes.
Two years ago, GiuseppeGiuffrida – a valuable upholderof a tradition that is rapidly get-ting lost - conceived and curat-ed the itinerant exhibition,MUSCÀ (Museum of SicilianCart). After the first two edi-tions – held in different loca-tions throughout the historicalcenter of Taormina, Sicily – heis now enthusiastically bringingits family collection toDowntown L.A.
Let’s take a peek at the exhi-bition with Marianna Gattofirst:
What is your personal con-nection to the upcoming exhi-bition, The Sicilian Cart:History in Movement?
I have been enchanted bySicilian carts since I was a childand received a small cart as apresent. I did not realize thenthat the “toy” was based on areal horse-drawn cart! It seemedtoo fantastic to be possible.
My grandmother, Maria
Anna Cortese Gatto, was fromLucca Sicula, a village in theprovince of Agrigento. TheCortese family left Sicily in thelate 1800s and entered theUnited States through the port ofLouisiana. Following the aboli-tion of slavery in the UnitedStates, many Sicilians served asagricultural laborers in theAmerican South. Her familyworked in the fields before sav-ing enough money to send forthe family in Sicily, and thenmoved west.
This exhibition is very spe-cial to me because it provides anopportunity to showcase Sicily’simmense beauty and history,and, a century later, representsmy family’s immigration storycoming full circle.
Could you expand on thepartnership between IAMLA,MUSCÀ and Dolce & Gabbanain the realization of the exhibi-tion?
As part of a City of LosAngeles delegation organized byCouncilman Joe Buscaino,IAMLA’s president PaulPagnone traveled to Sicily lastsummer. During his visit to theMUSCÀ exhibition in Taormina,he was captivated by the carts,and befriended the curator,Giuseppe Giuffrida.
Paul then introduced Mr.Giuffrida and I via email, andwe began chatting about thepossibility of putting together anexhibition. The MUSCÀ, andGiuseppe in particular, becamewonderful collaborators. It’s notevery day that two organizationscan assist one another in achiev-ing their respective missions soseamlessly.
As a historian, I was interest-
ed in using the carts as a vehiclefor understanding Sicily, itsmulti-layered history, and themany cultures that have influ-enced the island. Beyond theirstriking appearance, carts arefascinating on many levels -from the craftsmanship requir-ing the collaboration of severalcraftspeople, to the role that thecarts played in transmitting cul-ture, history, and values picto-graphically during an era whenmany people were illiterate.
While the motor vehicleslong replaced the carts as theprimary means of transportation,they continue to occupy arevered place in Sicilian popularculture.
The first representation ofcarts in popular culture thatcame to mind was Dolce &Gabbana’s recent collections inwhich the carts’ motif figuresprominently.
Francesca Guerrini, theIAMLA’s manager of program-ming and outreach, spent manyyears as a journalist in the fash-ion world. She contacted theiconic Italian fashion house, andwe began discussing the exhibi-tion with Dolce & Gabbana’steam. They provided an intro-duction to SMEG, the Italianupscale appliance manufacturer,with which the fashion housecollaborated to produce a limit-ed edition of appliances featur-ing the cart’s theme, which weare excited to showcase in theexhibition.
And now let’s hear GiuseppeGiuffrida’s take:
What drew you to this tra-ditional and extraordinaryform of art, the “Siciliancart”?
My namesake grandfatherwas a carter. He used to drive atraditional cart around Sicily,predominantly carrying fruitsand wheat, but also buildingmaterials, like red clay andstones.
In the 1960s, with the intro-duction of the first motor vehi-cles, the likes of trucks andsmall vans, he “upgraded” tothose new means of groundtransportation to deliver thegoods.
My father, next-to-last of mygrandfather’s seven children,was very close to him and, as atribute, carried on the family tra-dition, by starting twenty yearsago a collection of “parade”Sicilian carts, decorated withgarish colors.
Despite I was only one yearold, when my grandpa passedaway, I had the chance to hear alot about him and his carts bysome of his friends.
VALERIO VIALE
IAMLA’s Exhibition The Sicilian Cart: History inMovement
LOS ANGELES ITALIAN COMMUNITY
I carried out a series of infor-mal chats with artists, musi-cians, carters who had workedwith him, most of which werefamily friends. That fieldworkmade up half of my historicalinvestigation, while the otherhalf consisted in studying booksabout the Sicilian carts.
The more I investigated it,the more I got enamored by thisfascinating form of art.
Could you outline the histo-ry of the exhibition of whichyou are curator, MUSCÀ(Museum of Sicilian Cart) -held for the first two years inTaormina, Sicily, and thisyear finally in L.A.?
Two years ago, I inauguratedthe first edition of MUSCÀ atthe deconsecrated Church ofMount Carmel (“Chiesa delCarmine”). The exhibition - fea-turing our family collection ofSicilian carts as well as tradi-tional billboards used for the“Opera dei Pupi” (SicilianPuppets) - lasted only a month,but we had about 2000 visitors.Some of them were second orthird generation Sicilian emi-grants visiting their homeland,who shared with me their emo-tion in looking at those pieces ofart. It was a touching experienceto me as well.
Last year, we replicated thesecond edition in a differentlocation, Taormina’s CommunalLibrary, at the deconsecratedChurch of Saint Augustine. Thistime, the exhibition lasted fivemonths, from May tillSeptember. Among our visitors(a total of about 6000), we hadthe privilege to have VIPs, thelikes of actress Susan Sarandon- whose grandfather on hermom’s side, Giuseppe VincenzoCriscione, hailed from Ragusa,Sicily - Italian model BiancaBalti and Vanity Fair’s Fashionand Style director MichaelRoberts.
During our second edition, Ihad the chance to meet withIAMLA’s President, PaulPagnone, who felt highlyimpressed both by the artisticquality of the artworks and theway they were showcased in ourexhibition.
Depending on the geographi-cal areas, the carts have distinctfeatures. The Palermo’s andCatania’s styles are the twomost refined both artisticallyand in terms of content variety.
The carts from Palermo hadtrapezoidal sideboards and thepredominant color was yellow,while the ones from Cataniawere mainly red painted and hadrectangular elements. ThePalermo’s arabesque geometries
and decorative motifs wereinspired by the Norman-Arabculture. The painting style wasmostly flat and there was noperspective.
The Catania’s painting stylewas nearer to the Renaissanceone. However, the decorativemotifs are mainly Baroque, suchas acanthus’ leaves or figure-heads (sort of winged sirens),cupids or cherubs.
The carts feature also mag-nificent sculpted elements.Among these, the high point islocated in the rear and called the“key,” wooden handiwork lock-ing the poles.
The highlights of this thirdedition, on view at IAMLA, aregoing to be a cart from Palermo,painted (supposedly in the1960s) with scenes fromAriosto’s Orlando Furioso byGiuseppe Manfrè - an artistfrom Alcamo, who collaboratedalso with well-known Italianpainter, Renato Guttuso - andbuilt (probably also sculpted inits wooden carvings) byGiovanni Raia.
The second cart on view waspainted by Antonino Liotta, anartist from Paternò, a town inthe province of Catania. In allthe area, he was the greatest.The representation is dated,September 20th 1950, only afew years before Liotta’s deathin 1956. It was built byDomenico Morabito - native ofBelpasso, a town on the slopesof Mount Etna – and sculpted byIgnazio Russo. The wonderfulkey is decorated with a scenefrom Cavalleria Rusticana ,while the cart’s left panel isbased on Carmen, the right oneon Rigoletto, the rear one onNorma.
Our exhibition is going toshowcase also a marvelous bill-board by Rosario Napoli, verytalented poster designer whodied at merely nineteen. It wasrealized in tempera over a sup-port of two brown paper sheetsconnected in the middle andused to promote a representationof the “Opera dei Pupi,” thetypical Sicily’s puppet theater,based on Frankish romanticpoems such as The Song ofRoland or Orlando furioso.
Both the Sicilian carts andthis traditional marionette the-atrical representation had theirgolden age from 1930s up untilthe 1960s. In different ways,they both played a fundamentalsocial function. The first asmeans of transportation thatenabled trade in the island andthe second as form of entertain-ment as well as catharsis andsocial liberation.
Giuseppe Giuffrida conceived and curated the itinerant exhibition, MUSCÀ(Museum of Sicilian Cart
GIOVEDÌ 29 GIUGNO 2017 www.italoamericano.org 27L'Italo-Americano IN ITALIANO|
Mostra allo IAMLA sul Carretto Siciliano: La Storia inmovimento
Marianna Gatto, direttore esecutivo IAMLA
LA COMUNITÀ DI LOS ANGELES
Ciò che è veramente inter-essante nella prossimamostra, il Carretto
Siciliano: La Storia inMovimento, che sarà ospitata dalMuseo Italo-Americano di LosAngeles (IAMLA) dal 30 giugnoal 7 gennaio, è che il suo direttoreesecutivo, Marianna Gatto, daquando era bambina, ha coltivatoe nutrito una profonda fasci-nazione per questi eccezionalimezzi di trasporto trasformati inoggetti d'arte folkloristica inmovimento, quali sono i carrettisiciliani, senza mai averne vistouno dal vivo con i propri occhi.
Due anni fa, GiuseppeGiuffrida - prezioso sostenitore diuna tradizione che si sta rapida-mente perdendo - ha concepito ecurato la mostra itinerante,MUSCÀ (Museo del CarrettoSiciliano). Dopo le prime dueedizioni - tenute in diverse local-ità del centro storico diTaormina, in Sicilia – sta ora por-tando con entusiasmo la suacollezione di famiglia aDowntown L.A.
Diamo innanzitutto un'occhia-ta alla mostra con MariannaGatto:
Qual è il suo legame person-ale con la prossima mostra, ilCarretto siciliano: La storia inmovimento?
Sono stata incantata dai carret-ti siciliani sin da quando, bambi-na, ricevetti un piccolo carrettocome regalo. Non mi rendevoconto, allora, che il "giocattolo"si ispirava a un vero e propriocarro di cavalli! Sembrava troppofantastico per essere possibile.
Mia nonna, Maria AnnaCortese Gatto, era di LuccaSicula, un villaggio della provin-
cia di Agrigento. La famigliaCortese lasciò la Sicilia alla finedel 1800 ed entrò negli StatiUniti attraverso il porto dellaLouisiana. Dopo l'abolizionedella schiavitù negli Stati Uniti,molti siciliani lavoravano comelavoratori agricoli nel Sud ameri-cano. La sua famiglia lavorò neicampi prima di risparmiareabbastanza soldi da mandare allafamiglia in Sicilia e poi trasferirsiad Ovest.
Questa mostra è molto spe-ciale per me, perché offre l'occa-sione di mostrare l'immensabellezza e la storia della Sicilia,e, un secolo dopo, rappresenta lastoria dell'immigrazione dellamia famiglia che chiude un cer-chio.
Può spiegare la collabo-razione tra IAMLA, MUSCÀ eDolce & Gabbana nella realiz-zazione della mostra?
Come parte di una del-egazione della città di LosAngeles organizzata dal con-sigliere Joe Buscaino, il presi-dente di IAMLA, Paul Pagnone,è andato in Sicilia l'estate scorsa.Durante la sua visita alla mostraMUSCÀ di Taormina, è statoaffascinato dai carretti e è diven-tato amico del curatore GiuseppeGiuffrida.
Paul mi ha poi introdotto ilsignor Giuffrida via email, eabbiamo iniziato a discutere dellapossibilità di allestire insiemeuna mostra. MUSCÀ e, Giuseppein particolare, sono diventatimeravigliosi collaboratori. Noncapita tutti i giorni che due orga-nizzazioni possano aiutarsi l'unl'altro a realizzare le loro rispet-tive missioni così senzasoluzione di continuità.
Come storico, ero interessata autilizzare i carretti come veicoloper la comprensione della Sicilia,della sua storia stratificata e delletante culture che hanno influen-zato l'isola. Al di là del loroaspetto impressionante, i carrettisono affascinanti su molti livelli:dall'artigianato che richiede lacollaborazione di vari artigiani, alruolo che i carretti hanno giocatonella trasmissione pittograficadella cultura, della storia e deivalori in un'epoca in cui moltepersone erano analfabete.
Se i veicoli a motore hannosostituito i carretti come mezzoprimario di trasporto, essi contin-uano ad occupare un posto vener-ato nella cultura popolare sicil-iana.
La prima rappresentazione deicarretti nella cultura popolare avenire in mente è stata la recentecollezione di Dolce & Gabbanain cui il motivo dei carretti è cen-trale.
Francesca Guerrini, respons-abile della programmazione edell'informazione di IAMLA, halavorato molti anni come giornal-ista nel mondo della moda. Hacontattato l'iconica casa italianadi moda e abbiamo iniziato a dis-cutere della mostra con il gruppoDolce & Gabbana. Ci hannointrodotti a SMEG, il produttoreitaliano di prodotti di alta qualità,con cui la casa di moda ha col-laborato per produrre un'edizionelimitata di elettrodomestici con iltema del carretto, che siamo entu-siasti di mostrare nella mostra.
E adesso sentiamo cosa diceGiuseppe Giuffrida:
Cosa l’ha portata a questatradizionale e straordinariaforma d'arte, il "carretto sicil-iano"?
Il mio omonimo nonno era uncarrettiere. Era solito condurre uncarro tradizionale in giro per laSicilia, trasportando prevalente-mente frumento e grano, maanche materiali da costruzione,come argilla rossa e pietre.
Negli anni '60, con l'intro-duzione dei primi veicoli amotore, come i camion e i piccolifurgoni, si è "aggiornato" perconsegnare le merci con queinuovi mezzi di trasporto terrestre.
Mio padre, penultimo dei settefigli di mio nonno, gli era moltovicino e, come tributo, ha portatoavanti la tradizione familiare,partendo vent'anni fa con unacollezione di carri siciliani da"sfilata", decorati con colorivivaci.
Nonostante io avessi solo unanno, quando mio nonno è morto,ho avuto modo di sentire moltosu lui e sui suoi carri da parte di
alcuni suoi amici. Ho condotto una serie di
incontri informali con artisti,musicisti, carrettieri che avevanolavorato con lui, la maggior partedei quali erano amici di famiglia.Quella attività sul campo ha sig-nificato la metà della miaindagine storica, mentre l'altrametà è consistita nello studiarelibri sui carretti siciliani.
Quanto più li ho studiati, tantopiù mi sono innamorato di questaaffascinante forma d'arte.
Può descrivere la storiadella mostra di cui è curatore,MUSCÀ (Museo del carrettosiciliano) - tenutasi per i primidue anni a Taormina, in Sicilia,e quest'anno finalmente inL.A.?
Due anni fa, ho inaugurato laprima edizione di MUSCÀ nellasconsacrata Chiesa del Carmine.La mostra - con la nostracollezione di carretti siciliani edei cartelloni tradizionali utilizza-ti per l'Opera dei Pupi – è durataun solo mese, ma abbiamo avutocirca 2000 visitatori. Alcuni diloro erano emigrati siciliani diseconda o terza generazione chehanno visitato la loro terra natale,hanno condiviso con me la loroemozione nel guardare quelleopere d'arte. E’ stata un'esperien-za toccante anche per me.
L'anno scorso abbiamo repli-cato con la seconda edizione inuna posizione diversa, laBiblioteca Comunale diTaormina, nella chiesa sconsacra-ta di Sant'Agostino. Questa volta,la mostra è durata cinque mesi,da maggio a settembre. Tra i nos-tri visitatori (circa 6000), abbi-amo avuto il privilegio di averedei Vip, come l'attrice SusanSarandon - il cui nonno materno,Giuseppe Vincenzo Criscione,partì da Ragusa, Sicilia - lamodella italiana Bianca Balti e ildirettore di moda e stile di VanityFair Michael Roberts.
Durante la nostra seconda edi-zione, ho avuto la possibilità diincontrarmi con il presidente diIAMLA, Paul Pagnone, che èstato molto colpito dalla qualitàartistica delle opere e dal modo incui sono state esposte nella nostramostra.
A seconda delle aree geogra-fiche, i carretti hanno caratteris-tiche distinte. Gli stili di Palermoe Catania sono i due più raffinatisia artisticamente che in terminidi varietà di contenuti.
I carretti di Palermo avevanolati trapezoidali e il colore pre-dominante era il giallo, mentrequelli di Catania erano prevalen-temente dipinti di rosso e ave-vano elementi rettangolari. Le
geometrie arabesche di Palermo ei motivi decorativi erano ispiratialla cultura normanno-araba. Lostile della pittura era piuttostopiatto e non c'era prospettiva.
Lo stile della pittura diCatania era più vicino alRinascimento. Tuttavia, i motividecorativi sono prevalentementebarocchi, come le foglie di acantoo le polene (tipo di sirene alate), icupidi o i cherubini.
I carretti hanno anche splendi-di elementi scolpiti. Tra questi,l’apice si trova nella parte poste-riore e viene chiamato "chiave", èuna lavorazione a mano in legnoche blocca i poli.
I punti salienti di questa terzaedizione, in vista di IAMLA,saranno un carretto di Palermo,dipinto (presumibilmente neglianni '60) con scene dell’OrlandoFurioso dall’Ariosto da GiuseppeManfrè, artista di Alcamo, che hacollaborato anche con il noto pit-tore italiano, Renato Guttuso, ecostruito (probabilmente anchescolpito nelle sue opere in legno)da Giovanni Raia.
Il secondo carretto è stato dip-into da Antonino Liotta, artista diPaternò, città della provincia diCatania. In tutta la zona, era il piùgrande. La rappresentazione èdatata, 20 settembre 1950, solopochi anni prima della morte diLiotta nel 1956. Fu costruito daDomenico Morabito, nativo diBelpasso, cittadina sulle pendicidel Monte Etna, scolpito daIgnazio Russo. La meravigliosachiave è decorata con una scenadella Cavalleria Rusticana, men-tre il pannello sinistro del carrelloè basato sulla Carmen, quellodestro sul Rigoletto, quello poste-riore sulla Norma.
La nostra esposizione metteràin mostra anche un meravigliosocartellone di Rosario Napoli, dis-egnatore di poster molto talentu-oso, morto a soli diciannove anni.È stato realizzato in tempera suun supporto di due fogli di cartamarroni collegati al centro e uti-lizzati per promuovere una rapp-resentazione dell'Opera dei Pupi,il teatro di marionette tipico dellaSicilia, basato su poemi romanti-ci francesi come La Canzone diRolando o l’Orlando furioso.
Sia i carri siciliani che latradizionale rappresentazioneteatrale di marionette ebbero laloro età d'oro dal 1930 fino aglianni Sessanta. In modi diversi,entrambi hanno svolto una fun-zione sociale fondamentale. Ilprimo come mezzo di trasportoche ha permesso il commerciodell'isola e il secondo comeforma di intrattenimento, nonchédi catarsi e liberazione sociale.
![CANZONI NOVE...Andrea Antico: Canzoni nove con alcune scelte ..., Roma 1510 Practical edition Galeotto Del Carretto (14.. - 1530 B[artolomeo].T[romboncino]. Edited by Andreas Stenberg](https://static.fdocuments.us/doc/165x107/60b9896957184f5e55512fd9/canzoni-nove-andrea-antico-canzoni-nove-con-alcune-scelte-roma-1510-practical.jpg)
