Youth inclusion and participation through green areas, Torino di Sangro, Italy

Two years after “Art and creativity to promote human and social rights” workshops organised by ARCI Chieti in Torino di Sangro, I was back again to TdS as a coordinator, an artist and an exhibitor at “Youth inclusion and participation through green areas”. Although it looks like I had a lot of work, and I did, it was really pure pleasure.

First of all, it was great to be back to this beautiful small town near by Pescara where I could easily place an American cheesy romantic comedy. I could imagine Julia Roberts, burn out from all the faith in Clinton´s campaign, trying to reinvent herself by running away from Trump´s America to Italy, got stuck in TdS because she broke a clutch in rented Citroën Picasso. While drinking a fresh espresso in Cafe Noir and trying to explain her problem to Italians who don´t speak English, she meets my friend Luigi, a local farmer. He takes her to his vila where he makes his famous arrosticini for her and than he got her drunk on his home-brewed grappa. In the morning they found out she was pregnant with him and she realizes that she found a heaven on earth and that she would never leave. And of course that basic Italian health insurance, Servizio Sanitario Nazionale (SSN), will beat any American one. They have a bunch of little Gigi babies, and they never return Citroën Picasso. Latter Luigi receives the Academy Award for Best Actor.
That kind of movie.

My task of being a coordinator of street art workshop was a piece of cake. I was working with Polina Stoyanova (joiyaa.tumblr.com), Anelia Pashova (behance.net/anelia_illustration) & Dejan Mijatović (behance.net/DejanM) – my main man. Our location for painting was Torino di Sangro´s Cultural Center “Alda Merini” passage to the square “Piazzetta Trattati di Roma” behind the building.

I turned passage into Sakura Passage and my friends did the wall facing the square. Polly did the woman of the sea, bringing out the fish, obviously in connection to Adriatic sea,
Dejan did the brown bear on Vespa, because a brown bear is a common sight in mountains and hills of Abruzzo and so is Vespa, I guess 🙂
and Anelia did the wolf, because wolves have returned to Parco Nazionale della Majella, you can recognize them because, evidently, they leave their shit everywhere and it is different in size, texture, color and taste from other common animals from that region. We did all these cheerful images because the Center also facilitates library for the kids.

Two years ago, when I did Lupin the III -Leggenda della Grande Onda or The Great Wave of Torino di Sangro, I promised to Michele Cefaratti, the best Comandante di Carabinieri Stazione Torino di Sangro, and this is not just personal opinion, he is declared by Arma dei Carabinieri to be the best in 2017, that I will do Carabinieri Insignia in Gold for him and his Stazione, next time I come to TdS. And I kept my promise.

Depending on the amount of sun it receives color change from burning to solid gold. Also I have in plan the additional gift to Carabinieri Stazione Torino di Sangro, to do a small painting of Inspector Zenigata from Lupin the III in Carabinieri outfit for them. This is my way of saying thank you to Carabinieri in TdS who have been supporting our projects since the beginning.

I also had small exhibition at Cultural Center “Alda Merini”, “La Tradizione del Mondo Fluttuante – Muha & BlackBOX” where I presented my art prints from BlackBOX printshop Sarajevo. The opening was at the square “Piazzetta Trattati di Roma”, I was wearing my yukata to reflect more of Japanese Ukiyo-e tradition of artist and printshop. My friend Michele came with his adjutant Settimio Cerasani, who, it turns out, had also genuine interest in Japanese culture. His brother lived in Osaka and it is his wish to visit Japan some day.

So what can I say, it was really nice hard workin´ project, where everyone did their best. Apart from all the work, we still found some time to chill out, to have some “reasoning”, to share and give but also to receive…

…to have a smoke with Luigi (Academy Award for Best Actor)…

…to see Nataša´s painting…

…to see old friends…

…and to make new ones.

Additional photos at ARCI Chieti fb page