Let’s talk about one of the most engaging artistic expressions ever created by the human genius: theatre

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Grand Tour

Every year on March 27 falls the day dedicated to one of the most ancient and engaging artistic forms ever invented by man: the theater. For centuries this expression of human genius has inspired the spirit of spectators and brought the creativity of its playwrights to unexpected heights. Today we take this opportunity to reflect on the history, the diversity and the impact that theater has had on culture and our understanding of the world and explore its roots, with an eye to its most atavistic forms and savoring the masterpieces.

**THE ORIGINS OF THEATRE**

How did the theatre come about? As we mentioned it is an ancient artistic form, whose birth, according to legend, is attributable to Thespis, Greek playwright and actor who came to Athens in the sixth century BC. His figure, although cloaked under certain verses of mysticism, finds some historical evidence dating back to the third century B.C. that place the theatrical activity of this character in the same period of the first Athenian dramatic competitions. 

Over the centuries the role of Thespis has increasingly abandoned its historicism favoring a mythical reading of his person, which lead him to be identified as the creator of the tragedy, a role comparable to that of Homer as supreme poet and father of epic song. 

The theater is one of the most long-lived socio-cultural activities in history and in times where human and divine were inextricably intertwined, it is not strange opinion if at the origin of everything there are rituals and cults dedicated to a particular deity: Dionysus. 

**FORMS OF ANCIENT THEATRE**

The passions, fantasies and transformations that imbued the cults and mysteries of Dionysus, made him the perfect patron of this fundamental aspect in the life of the ancients.  In particular, the most ancient forms of theatrical representations have roots in dithyrambi, particular choral compositions dedicated to the god where poetry, lyric and dance are combined, from which originated according to Aristotle the highest theatrical form ever created: tragedy. 


The tragedy (which literally means "song for the goat") was represented on certain religious occasions dedicated to Dionysus: the Great and Small Dionysians. Among the greatest exponents of the Greek tragedy are Aeschylus, Sophocles and Euripides, whose works were characterized by a series of episodes interspersed with choirs, which together constituted the tragic action of the drama and were preceded by a prologue. 

Another theatrical form was the comedy, born a few decades after the tragedy, which Aristotle linked to the phallic songs that followed the Dionysian processions. The plays were performed on the occasion of the Lenee (dedicated to Dionysus Leneus, adored by the Maenads) and the Great Dionysias and saw comic poets competing with each other with one or two pieces each. Our knowledge of ancient comedy is mainly due to the works of Aristophanes, although the oldest authors were Epicenter, who composed about forty works, Chionides and Magnetus. 


**THE PLACES OF THE PERFORMANCES**

To admire the places where these works came to life it is not necessary to go to Athens. Just stop in the territories of Sicily, once part of Magna Grecia, and let yourself be carried away in reality full of charm that still today, despite the centuries, exude air of majesty. Magna Graecia housed many ancient theatres that were the fulcrum of cultural and social life. These include the Greek Theatre of Neapolis in Syracuse and the Ancient Theatre in Taormina.

Carved in the rock of the Temenite hill, the ancient Theatre of Syracuse has a huge cavea, with 67 orders of steps. A majestic building that still inspires admiration and respect - to mention the travelers of the Grand Tour - and that in its golden age called great playwrights of the time as Aeschylus, who staged here "The Persians" and "The Ethnos". Once on the steps let yourself be carried away by the echo of the representations that seems to permeate the space, close your eyes and breathe in the history that exudes from this imperishable structure, you will feel like you are back in the past! And if you want to attend a show, remember that in the summer there are still theatrical performances from ancient dramas. 

 The Ancient Theatre of Taormina, located on a hill overlooking Mount Etna, offers breathtaking scenery and continues to be a popular tourist attraction. Set in the rock, this architectural jewel fits perfectly into the surrounding environment, as if he were himself a product of nature. Built at the behest of the wife of Ierone II Filistide in the third century. BC, with its size, view and location is really a place of unparalleled beauty! Imagine visiting on a quiet summer evening. 

The sounds of the wind mix with the scent of the sea, the imposing silhouette of Etna stands out in the background, and the colors of the sunset are mixed in a carousel of orange, pink and red that dye new shades of its ancient stones, in a breathtaking view. Here where art, culture and nature mix you will certainly live an experience that will leave you speechless!

**SOME EXAMPLES**

Among the most famous examples of ancient comedies we cannot fail to mention the "Lysistrata" of Aristophanes, a brilliant satire on war and politics, with a female protagonist who organizes a sex strike to force men to end the conflicts that inflamed the Peloponnese. Although the author’s intention was certainly not to promote female autonomy, as much as to represent an inverted world, it is nevertheless the oldest example of female emancipation ever documented, with women of different backgrounds and cities uniting with a common purpose. 

Greek tragedies profoundly influenced western fiction and theatre. 
Two iconic examples are Oedipus King of Sophocles and Medea of Euripides. The first explores the themes of fate and guilt through the story of a man who tries to escape his tragic prophecy, while the Medea of Euripides distances itself from others in that for the first time he chooses to focus on the period of Corinth, with a deep analysis of the motivations behind the inhuman act of which the protagonist is stained - the killing of the children - accusing not only Medea, but the same Jason, guilty of having abandoned her for a younger wife. 

*****

Treasuring what our ancestors created, we can only appreciate the opportunity that the World Theatre Day offers us to celebrate not only the ancient and classical forms of theatre, but also its continuous evolution and relevance in contemporary society. 
Through theatre, we can explore the depths of human experience and connect with the emotions and stories that make us human, reminding us of the importance and beauty of an art that has stood the test of time. From the ancient theatres of Magna Grecia to the modern theatrical productions, the theatre continues to be a mirror of our humanity. Celebrating theatre means celebrating human creativity, the ability to tell stories and stage experiences that unite us as a community.





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Emotional revolution  

International Day against Illicit Trafficking in Cultural Property

How many things can be hidden in the folds of your toga? Treasure all the anecdotes, curiosities and insights collected in this column, carry them "in your pocket" and, if necessary, take them out to amaze everyone with your knowledge!

In the Folds of the Toga

There are days that require special attention.
November 14 is one of them.

On this date, in 1970, the **Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property** was signed in Paris.
Recognising cultural heritage as a necessary element for the history and culture of peoples - fundamental for the sharing and knowledge of human diversity - the Convention establishes in Art. 2 paragraph 1 that:

> *The States Parties to this Convention recognize that the illicit import, export and transfer of ownership of cultural property is one of the main causes of the impoverishment of the cultural heritage of the countries of origin of such property and that international co-operation constitutes one of the most efficient means of protecting each country's cultural property against all the dangers resulting there from.*

And even today, more than fifty years later, we **celebrate**  the signing thanks to the **International Day against Illicit Trafficking in Cultural Property**, officially established by UNESCO in 2020 for 14 November. As we think about this day and the reasons that continue to lead more and more countries to ratify the text of the Convention, we would like to dwell in particular on one word in the above-mentioned article: collaboration. 
Emphasizing the international nature of this cooperation, the Convention underlines how mutual aid between countries with the same ideals and intentions is essential both to prevent theft or illicit trafficking of cultural goods (for example, through the creation of a special document that guarantees the authorized movement of a property from one country to another) and to return them in the event of theft.

**The case of MArTA**

This is a theme that closely touches one of our museums: the National Archaeological Museum of Taranto. The MArTA, the flagship in the Apulian museum scene, was at the center of a major media cycle in 2022 when, decades after his death, the sculptural group *Orpheus and the Sirens*, stolen in the same years in which the Convention on the Movement of Cultural Property was ratified,  returned to its rooms.

Dating back to the fourth century B.C., it is a life-size terracotta sculptural group of admirable workmanship. To be represented are Orpheus, the mythical singer who with his voice was able to tame the most ferocious beasts, and two mermaids, represented here as hybrid beings halfway between humans and birds.
To create the work, the sculptor probably drew on the myth of the Argonauts, of which Orpheus was a part, and the path that led him to skirt the island where these bird-women lived who, after trying to bewitch the unsuspecting sailors, were defeated by the voice of the hero, who enchanted them by preventing them from killing their companions.

The result of the cultural influences of the time, the group thus became a symbol of the victory of reason over irrationality, winking at Pythagorean philosophy and its vision of music as that element that, together with mathematics, involves the whole Universe in a harmony of shapes and numbers.

**Theft, Sale & Gathering** 

The work was clandestinely excavated in the seventies in the Taranto area. Found in pieces at what was probably a funerary site of an adept of the Orphic cult, it arrived in the hands of a receiver in contact with organized crime. After several passages, it was taken to Switzerland and handed over to a restorer to be reassembled. It was later sold to the Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles through the intermediary of a Swiss banking institution.

To suggest that it was a stolen archaeological find, there were some recent interceptions of a well-known receiver by the Carabinieri Command for the Protection of Cultural Heritage. Thanks to the investigations, the TPC soldiers discovered that the suspect was about to carry out some actions against the Italian cultural heritage and, upon a more in-depth analysis, they realized that he had participated in the clandestine excavation of the 70s.

Thanks to the collaboration with the District Attorney's Office of Manhattan (DAO) and the Homeland Security Investigations, the investigation continues and ends with the seizure of the work and its repatriation to the land of origin.

 **Back Home**

The return journey of *Orpheus and the Sirens* begins on September 17, 2022.
Finally back in Italy, the work was first exhibited at the Museum of Saved Art and then transferred to the National Archaeological Museum of Taranto, where it becomes part of the permanent collection on April 5, 2023.

A conquest not only for our country, but for the entire world of art and culture.

Protecting these treasures – the beating heart of our history and identity – is crucial to preserving cultural diversity and ensuring that future generations can fully enjoy the richness of our heritage.
 
 



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The Return of Orpheus and the Sirens



Some stories are handed down aloud around a roaring fire, others whispered in the darkness, sheltered from the implacable gaze of the ruler of the Underworld.
Nevertheless, even the most fearful of men cannot help but listen to them, sometimes telling himself of those dark depths where the bloodiest figures of myth reside imprisoned, since it is known that the darkness of Hades is both repugnant and bewitching.

Yet not all the Ogre is tinged with darkness and the shady Lord of those places is not the only one to reside there. It is said that his beloved bride, Queen Persephone, manages to give light and a sense of home to this hidden place and that she alone is able to stop her husband's implacable judgment, sometimes even to make him modify a sentence already pronounced.
But where can glimpses of light be found in this hellish realm?

Much of its geography is composed of fields that stretch as far as the eye can see, gray if it were not for countless white dots that illuminate these expanses intermittently with pale light. They are the asphodels, flowers with a delicate appearance but with a tenacious soul, which with their brightness signal the way to the souls of the departed. Among these wander for eternity men and women who in their mortality have distinguished themselves neither by heroic deeds nor by nefarious deeds. After their departure, at the time of the judgment of the infernal tribunal, they cry bitter tears seeing themselves denied access to the Elysian Fields, destined for the Great of humanity, but at the same time they thank the chthonic gods for not having been destined for Tartarus, the fulcrum of every human and divine torment.

And this is how their immortal destiny is carved in stone: shadows without direction, without memory or grip on their eternal life, forced to wander in the endless Fields of Asphodels forever submitting to the laws of Death, savoring only on rare occasions a brief yearning for freedom when unwary mortals try to call their soul to earth with desperate attempts.

Is this why then under the warm sun of Apollo in front of these flowers sometimes tremble heart and limbs, the heartbeat accelerates and the breathing is labored? Is it a premonition of what could be? Is this their true essence or are the stories they carry with them like a cloak of darkness that make the soul so weak?

Cheerful fireflies in the endless green of the meadows, pale fingers in the darkness of the Underworld, asphodels fill the eyes of mortals who inhabit cultivated fields and wild plains in equal measure. Tombs were full of these flowers in ancient times, a source of food for the dead, a wish for continuous survival if not for the mortal remains at least for the soul, as evidenced by the etymology of their name, which means "valley of what has not been reduced to ashes".

If you ever find yourself in a field of asphodels, gently frame one in the palm of your hand and bring your face closer to feel its aroma. It will thus transform itself from a *memento mori* into a bridge between reality and the afterlife. Close your eyes and let your senses be flooded with all that this flower has to offer. It could be that the fumes of its perfume take you through the folds of history. 
 



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The sweet caress of asphodels  

Cultural synergies on the Genoa-Turin axis

Dialogoi is the column dedicated to the people who take care of, promote and live museums and archeological parks every day. A space to share the unique vision everyone has of Art and Culture.

Dialogoi

Are you full of curiosity like the great explorers of
past? Then this column is for you! Come and sail with us the sea of ​​history guarded at Galata and Mei, you won't regret it.

Tailwind

«We recognize the enthusiasm that unites us». 

This auspicious phrase opens with the speech by the Directors Pierangelo Campodonico and Christian Greco held on June 30th in Genoa at the spaces of the Museum of the Galata Sea.

To bring the Director of the Piedmontese pole and about seventy employees of the Museum of Egyptian Antiquities Foundation of Turin to the Genoese museum was the desire to start a discussion about possible collaborations.

But to collaborate you must first know, so the working day began - albeit in a rather apocalyptic way given the adverse weather conditions, which flooded the Ligurian capital with torrential rain - with a parenthesis dedicated to the discovery of the museum spaces of Galata and MEI (Museum of Italian Emigration) by the Director and the Curators of the two poles.

Following this first moment of pure and simple Culture, the protagonist of the early afternoon was a *tête-à-tête* between the two Directors, that from their first words showed that they share the same vision of museum, which is fundamental given the intention to undertake a path that could lead to mutual contaminations for the development of new concepts, activities and proposals for installations within the two institutions. 


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> *The two directors during the afternoon talk*


What unites the Galata and the Egyptian Museum (even before the joint vision of their directional leaders) is that huge expanse of water on which the first is projected and the second derives its entire collection: the sea. Interested in the movements of people and things the Galata, guardian of an incredible material culture the Egyptian, this commonality has made possible to identify three eventual cultural levels on which to work: the theme of travel and displacement, the concept of de-colonialism and the digitization.

The first deals with the **movement of people and objects** and is fundamental in the reporting and keeping alive of their memory and biography; the second serves to **rethink figures such as Columbus or Egyptology** itself,  purely Eurocentric, in such a way as to avoid a narrative that denies the past or tells it at the expense of the Other; the third analyzes the challenges that a **digital set-up** could entail and  what kind of suggestions realities such as the MEI (with a completely computerized and interactive visit path) can give to entities such as the Egyptian Museum, with its impressive flows of visitors. 

From these first causes for reflection, the discourse then naturally moved to the broader **topic of the museum**, why rethinking it with a view to exchange and development is extremely important for an increasingly in-depth reasoning on its role and position in our contemporaneity and, tangentially, the need to bring the community closer to these places is the right cause for which principles such as aggregation,  democracy and development become the founding pillars of these **new cultural cathedrals**. 

Doing so would not only create new connections between the exhibition spaces and visitors, but between the visitors themselves and the Cultures represented, consequently stripping the visit of that cloak of coercion that is often carried with it (the Greek Director gives as an example the school groups, which rather than brought to visit are "deported"), favoring a natural and voluntary approach of the community.

And it is on this social vision of culture that another level of understanding between the two institutions is based: **museum equals community**. Apparently simple, but in reality rich in complex nuances, this basic idea that the **museum** should be made **by and for the community** was the natural conclusion of an intense and stimulating confrontation for all participants. 

In the face of what has been reported we can say without a doubt that a cultural synergy exists, which leads to make a further statement: museums are desires. Of growth, development, sharing, creative hubs where to meet and communicate together. 
 
«The Museum» says Christian Greco «become a part of home» and, retorts the Director Campodonico, «[we have to take it over] through its experiential part». 

Not empty spaces, but **living places accessible to all**.  


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The Sea Meets the Pyramids. The Galata and the Egyptian Museum in Dialogue.

What if your name was an homage to a great artist of the past? Would you go and visit the exhibition dedicated to him?

No rules, just one truth: art is for everyone! 
Join our art club and satiate your hunger for culture, (but be careful, it could cause Independence)!

Art Without Rules

**Syracuse, July 2023** 

Grandad Raffaele: So, how was the summer camp today? Did you play that football match you told me about?

Eveneto: … 

GR: Has the cat got your tongue? If you don’t talk how could I ever know if we have to take an ice cream to celebrate or to comfort?

E: … 

GR: Eveneto! 

E: They made fun of me, ok?

GR: Why? Did you miss the goal? 

E: No! It’s about my name. It’s horrible. Everyone always laughs at it. 

GR: Eveneto, one day you’ll value your name. Don’t listen to them.You know, I was the one to pick it! 

E: Did you not love me?

GR: What are you saying? 

E: It lacks sense! 

GR: Maybe now it sounds strange, but would you like to know a secret? 

E: If I have to… 

GR: Well, you should know you are named after a great artist of the past, a medallist of great reputation! 

E: A medallist? What does it mean?

GR: What do they teach nowadays? In my time… let’s leave it for now. Medallists were master engravers, magicians of the detail, they realized coins and medals of excellent craftsmanship. What do you say, would you like to see them? 

E: Where! Where! 

GR: Far closer you’d imagine. If I were to tell you they could also come alive?

E: I don’t believe you. You’re only trying to make me feel better. 

GR: Grandson of little faith. Believe in your old grandpa. Come, I’ll show you. 


***Whose hands first shaped History?*** 


GR: Here we are! 

E: Where are we Grandpa? 

GR: This Eveneto is Vermexio Palace, but we didn’t come here to stay out in the sun. Let’s go inside, you’ll understand why having an ancient name is not always a bad thing. 



***Gods and mortals. Heroes and monsters. A dream made an experience. Subject made Life.***

E: Grandad, it's beautiful! These medals seem alive! 

GR: It’s not a coincidence that the exhibition is called ArgentoVivo. Let’s get closer, I’ll show you some tidbits! 
E: Who is the lady in the video? 

GR: That is the nymph Arethusa. 
E: Arethusa like the Spring?

GR: Bravo! It’s indeed the nymph that gives name to Arethusa Spring. 

E: How did they create a video like this?

GR: Do you know the computers you like so much? Well, they used technology to create this exhibition. 

E: See? I always said computers are good. If only mum would listen...

GR: You, young man, are too sly! Your mother is right, too many videogames are bad for your health. Do you know where they started to create all this?

E: I’m sure you’ll tell me soon. 

GR: In my time youngsters were more respectful… 
Anyway, they started from the coins of Paolo Orsi Archaeological Museum’s Medagliere.
 
E: A museum? Impossible. Story is boring. They cannot realize something so, so… 

GR: Interesting?

 E: Yes! 

GR: E invece hanno unito arte, storia e tecnologia e realizzato una mostra che anche i più diffidenti - come qualche ragazzino di mia conoscenza - apprezzano. And yet they merged art, history and technology and created an exhibition that captures the heart of the most sceptic, like a lad of my acquaintance. 

E: Ok, ok, you win. I like it, I’m glad I came. But you still didn’t tell me why this place should help me like my name. 

GR: Easy, I’ll tell you. I’m old you know?

E: Only when you want to be… 

GR: I have this feeling we won’t eat ice cream today. 

E: I’ll be quiet! I’ll be quiet! 

GR: We were saying. Let’s continue with this immersive journey, let me see… ah! Here it is. Look at this coin. 

E: She has sad eyes, don’t you think? And are those dolphins?

GR: Do you know what we could find under those dolphins in other similar coins? 

E: What? 

GR: The name of the author: Euainetos, also known as Eveneto. 

E: Are you kidding me? 

GR: Why? I told you you were named after a great Master. 

E: Couldn’t you pick Michelangelo? It would have made my life easier. 

GR: My young grandson, I’ll tell you, this name also has a sentimental value. One of the first gifts your grandma gave me was a book about numismatics and it also spoke about this great syracusan artist. 

E: So my name is due to you being a romantic? 

GR: But keep the secret, ok? 

E: Adults are weird… 

GR: And for this we’ll now go to the Paolo Orsi Museum. 

E: But grandpa! 

GR: Aren’t you curious to see the original from which the exhibition takes inspiration?

E: Ok, but only if you tell me more about my namesake! 

GR: Not only about him, but also Kimon, Eukleidas and many more whose works were used to create this exhibition! 


***Winged Nike, aurigas, horses, dolphins. Gods, heroes, laurel wreaths, sharpened swords, Their faces and deeds forever printed in metal by the skilled hands of Eukleidas, Euainetos, Kimon. Oh greatest of the past, tell their story, tell their deeds. Tell about Syracuse. Tell about Magna Graecia.***













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About Men and Myths

What does it mean to manage a museum today? What are the hidden secrets of its collections? We asked Rita Insolia, Director of Palazzo Bellomo Gallery. 

Thinking of Palazzo Bellomo and its collections it is natural and immediate to link the identity of the Museum to the figure of Antonello da Messina, who in his artistic production managed to combine in an excellent way two dissimilar cultural roots, the Flemish and the Italian, integrating the Flemish renewal with the Italian perspective and formal synthesis. However, the Museum's collection is not composed of Antonello alone, nor should we fail to take into account the Palace itself, whose history has its roots in the thirteenth century during the Swabian period. 

Thanks to Director Insolia we were able to reveal some secrets of the museum. During the interview she managed to evoke such a delicate and profound image of all the collections kept in the Gallery that she encouraged us to go to Palazzo Bellomo again to admire the treasures contained therein with new eyes and awareness. All, without exception. 

*Graduated in Geological Sciences at the University of Catania, Rita Insolia currently directs the Regional Gallery of Palazzo Bellomo and the Antonino Uccello House Museum. Her career is studded with prestigious positions within managerial roles of the Sicilian Region, including the Management of the Historical-Artistic Heritage Section, of the Archaeological Park of Syracuse, Eloro, Villa del Tellaro and Akrai, the Management of the Landscape and Demo-ethno-anthropological Heritage Section.*

**INTERVIEW WITH RITA INSOLIA**

**Good morning Dr. Insolia and thank you for agreeing to hold this interview. I will start immediately with a "hot" question: what is the value of art? Is culture useful in a society as accelerated as today's?**
Art belongs to everyone and its value depends on the emotions and sensations it arouses, whose perception can also vary depending on the cultural background of the observer. The fact is that art must not fossilize: indeed it must adapt to the times and to the new languages of our society.

**Referring to the question above, what does it mean to be the director of a museum today?**
It means having in your hands a jewel to manage, to make it more open to the city and increasingly accessible to the contemporary public.

**Each museum is linked to its collections and often a work or an artist defines its identity in the collective imagination. In the case of Palazzo Bellomo this concept is explained by Antonello da Messina, who has always held a place of honor in the collections of the Gallery. What fascinates so much about this artist?**
Antonello da Messina is certainly known internationally and the work kept here, the Annunciation, strongly attracts the attention of visitors. However, your question allows me to point out that, although the great Antonello is worthy of such fame, inside the Gallery of Palazzo Bellomo there are collections of considerable importance that represent the many facets of Sicilian artistic production. 

**This statement, which I share, allows me to introduce the next question. If we were to direct the public along a visit route among the lesser-known works, what could they discover?**
I cite as an example the ceramics of Iberian origin, the ceramics of Sicilian manufacture (Caltagirone, Trapani, Palermo, Burgio), the crib figures in wax of the eighteenth century and those in terracotta of the famous Calatina workshop of Giacomo Bongiovanni and Giuseppe Bongiovanni Vaccaro; the Reliquary of St. Ursula, liturgical vestments and textile artifacts, the notebooks of drawings by Filippo Paladini, the painting of the so-called "madonneri", which reproduce models and stylistic features of Byzantine painting, coats of arms from various eras from civil and religious buildings of the city ... As you can see the list is long and still incomplete, the wonders kept here are countless and noteworthy.

**Without a suitable place to welcome them, enhance them and present their historical and artistic value in the best possible way, the collections would partially lose potential. So I ask you, what is the relationship between the container (Palazzo Bellomo) and contents (the collections)?**
There is a deep connection between the two. The Palace is the result of different stratifications and the variety of the collections kept there well represents the history of the territory and the city from which they come, allowing an adequate contextualization of the works in the exhibition spaces.

**Let's now move on to the other great protagonist of the museum scenario: the public. Stefania Zuliani (art historian n.d.r.) once said that more than the collections, it is the public that defines the museum. Do you agree?**
It is certainly an interesting point of view, but the activity that takes place inside the Museum is also fundamental. This must first aim at involving the public, so that the Museum is seen in all respects as the active and attractive institution that it is.

**In an interview you once talked about resident citizens and temporary citizens, a beautiful metaphor to describe tourists: an important slice of the public for every museum. What is your approach and that of the Bellomo Museum to this type of visitor?**
The Museum carefully welcomes the various types of visitors, striving to meet the increasingly pressing demand for culture both from passing users and from scholars, students and residents.

**Let's play with fantasy. If any of the works in the museum could come to life, which one would you like to accompany you on a guided tour and why?**
More than anything else I would like to be accompanied by the noble fathers of this Museum such as Agnello, Orsi, Mauceri, and through their voices relive step by step the birth and growth of Palazzo Bellomo as we know it today.

**We conclude this interesting exchange with a sparkling question. Stealing a fashionable term, if we were to create a spring / summer collection, which of the works kept in the Gallery of Palazzo Bellomo would perfectly represent the summer period?**
I am reminded of the panel of the Master of the polyptych of St. Mary (XV century), *Madonna Enthroned with Child between SS. Thomas the Apostle, Lucy, Margaret and John the Evangelist*. This work stands out for its fresh and pearly color, for the extreme elegance of the line of figures with enchanting grace, for the accurate physiognomic characterization and for the refined decorative vein, evident in the ornamentation of the modulated edges of the clothes and mantles, and in the punched gold background with motifs of leaves and acorns spread evenly, almost like a fabric behind the throne, and the base on which the figures of the Saints stand.  

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Not only Antonello da Messina. Interview with Rita Insolia, Director of the Regional Gallery of Palazzo Bellomo.

When art calls you have to call your friends!

Teresa: Hello? 

Serena: You take your time to answer!

T: Who is this? 

S: It’s me, Serena! 

T: Oh hi! Sorry, I didn’t recognize you. 

S: You wouldn’t have these problems if only you weren’t so set on keeping a landline. You have a mobile phone, use it! 

T: What can I say, I love vintage. 

S: You are odd. But to keep to the topic, did you go to the exhibition at Ortigia Ancient Market?

T: Don’t tell me you went without me!

S: But you went already! 

T: I would have gladly gone back! 

S: Ok, ok, I will come with you again, but now tell me, what do you think of it? 

T: It was an explosion. 

S: An explosion?

T: Yes, of sounds, styles, images and themes. I never thought such a classic subject  could still have something to say, but I had to reconsider. 

S: It is the appeal of the myth: centuries pass by, but it continues to charm! 

T: But I have to admit, I found it a little bit gloomy. 

S: What do you mean?

T: I mean the theme, it’s not a merry topic, don’t you think?

S: It’s surely strong, but the artists’ different takes intrigued me. 

T: You are right. What do you think of Francesco De Grandi’s work, *Medea nel giardino di Colchide*? He is the only one to picture a young Medea. 

S: Did you know that to realize the work he was inspired by the most archaic versions of the myth, when men were still tied to the feminine and Earth? His Medea, although still young, is already wise and sorceress, aware of her role and her powers. And yet the black bird in the background seems to foretell her baleful future. 

T: Art is really a powerful medium! And powerful is the work by Natee Utarit, *Two Boys and the Sacrifice*. 

S: I don’t remember it. 

T: Come on, it’s the four meters long triptych! 

S: Now I remember! An almost chirurgical set, it gave me goosebumps. 

T: After all the oeuvre wants to represent the most violent human instincts, from here the choice to transpose the myth in a modern setting. As the curator says, it’s its raw simplicity to make it disturbing, while the conglomerated elements of past and present make the works timeless. 

S: Did you eat the tagline? You were never so taken by a painting before!

T:  Don’t make fun of me, you know that when I let myself go I can be a poetess!

S: You are forgiven! It’s indeed an excellent exhibition, I share your thoughts! 

T: I can feel it, we’ll go back soon! But now is the time for the truth: favorite painting?

S: Difficult, very difficult. But if I have to choose, *Fog and Mushrooms* is the one. 

T: An unusual choice, I didn’t see it coming! Why? 

S: The first to attract me were the colors, in particular the combination of such a vibrant palette and the almost dreamlike setting: I felt like I was in front of an oxymoron made canvas, where dreamlike atmospheres form the backdrop to a story of love and death like Medea's. It couldn't help but catch my eye! 

T: You're right! After all, Medea is a dual figure, both seductive and dangerous. I read in the catalog that in his works Fridjònssin always inserts subjects with disturbing implications in romantic atmospheres: you couldn't have read it better! We should really see it again...

S: I told you we'll be back, don't worry! In fact, you know what, why don't we opt for an evening visit: the exhibition is open until 8pm, who knows, maybe it will give us the opportunity to experience the works in another way!

T: I’m in. Shall we go this Saturday?

S: Deal! We might as well stop for an aperitif afterwards.

T: I saw that they have opened a refreshment point inside the Ancient Market, a perfect location to talk about the exhibition after the visit!

S: What more could we want?

T: Visit the exhibition on Sunday as well?

*Tuuuu-tuuuu-tu*

T: Hello? Sere, are you there? Could you imagine… but I’ll convince her, I’m sure!


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A Call with Medea

The sea. An endless expanse of water, gentle and terrible at the same time, a source of joy and pain, home to monsters and gods, theater of myths and legends.
 
Like a brush on a blank canvas, the foam of its waves outlines the traits of a millennia-long narrative that still fascinates with its textures full of light and shadow. Have you ever wondered what is the seed from which they originated?


The sea. An endless expanse of water, gentle and terrible at the same time, a source of joy and pain, home to monsters and gods, theater of myths and legends.
 
Like a brush on a blank canvas, the foam of its waves outlines the traits of a millennia-long narrative that still fascinates with its textures full of light and shadow. Have you ever wondered what is the seed from which they originated?
 

**STORIES OF GODS AND MEN**

Petty, angry, passionate, vindictive, the deities of the Greek Pantheon are the embodiment of vices and, sometimes, human virtues. At the center of this immortal crowd are the Olympians, rulers of the life and death of mortals.
 
Also known as Dodekatheon, among these the most powerful were the Cronis, (Zeus, Poseidon, Hera, Demeter, Hestia), followed by the gods of the so-called second generation, including the protagonist of our story: Dionysus.
 
Unique among the deities for his semi-divine origins (he is the son of the Father of the Gods, Zeus, and the mortal Semele) Dionysus is the youngest of the gods, loved and hated in equal measure by the ancients.
 
With the face of a child, a head of black hair and a purple cape on his shoulders, the young god was bound to the realm of ecstasy, drunkenness, freedom and rebirth.
Patron of wine, theater and banquets, it seems that his cult was at first reserved for a small circle for its popular cut (women and slaves could also participate in the mysteries) and detested by many for the **orgiastic aspects and collective madness** to which the faithful seem to succumb during the mysteries.
 
**THE SWEETNESS OF MADNESS**

In addition to wine, the other great attribute of Dionysus is madness, of which he himself was a victim when Hera, in revenge for the betrayal of Zeus, condemned him to wander the world in despair and with a clouded mind.
 
This wandering took him to numerous foreign lands, where he spread his cult thus conquering immortality and rising to Olympus.
And it is here, at the beginning of his return trip to Greece, that our story starts.
 
Arriving on the Aegean islands from Boeotia, the god decided to pay for the crossing to a ship bound for Naxos. Setting foot on the boat, his beauty, the richness of his clothes and his innocent face led the **Tyrrhenian pirates** at the head of the expedition to capture him with the aim of demanding a ransom.
 
Dionysus chose to take revenge on those unwary by germinating in their minds the **seed of madness**, destining the unfortunate to a fate worse than death.
 
**DIVINE REVENGE**

Wine began to flow in rivers on the deck of the ship, coloring the wooden planks red. Bunches of grapes appeared as if by magic on sails and ropes and the mast was suffocated by an immense vine, which with its branches enveloped it completely, breaking it.
 
Terrified, the entire crew tried to escape by jumping into the sea, but in vain.
Their bodies began to writhe, their faces to stretch, their skin to turn gray and shiny.
 
Those who touched the sea surface **were no longer men**, but dolphins, whose minds nevertheless remained those of sentient beings, to keep alive within them the memory of the impiety committed, without being able to find peace. Only the helmsman was saved, the only one to understand the divine nature of the young passenger and to try to convince his companions to abandon their intentions. 
 
Dispensed from receiving their own fate, he became a priest of the cult of Dionysus, while the others, now frozen in their new form, decided to repay the crime committed by dedicating their lives to saving shipwrecks and sailors in danger.
 
The cause of their evil was their contempt for divine law.
In ancient times, in fact, one of the most serious actions that a mortal could commit was the one that led him to **act with hybris**, arrogance, towards the gods.
A real crime of lèse-majesté, with an always negative outcome for the perpetrator.
 
The deities were famous for their vengeful acts and actions. It should therefore not be surprising if the answer to human arrogance was the divine nemesis, the **revenge of the gods**, which as we have just seen could take the most disparate forms.
 
**METAMORPHOSIS**
 
The myth is full of tragedies and acts bordering on the mania of which Dionysus is the protagonist.  And it was on these stories that one of the longest-lived socio-cultural activities in history was consolidated: the theater. 
The passions, fantasies and transformations of which the cults and mysteries of Dionysus were imbued, made the god the perfect candidate to be the patron of this fundamental aspect in the life of the ancients and from the dithyrambs, particular **choral compositions dedicated to him**, where poetry, lyric and dance are combined, the tragedy originated.   
Yet, despite being born in his name, the representations that see Dionysus as protagonist are not many, indeed, there is a trace in all the ancient dramaturgical production of a single work focused on the god: the Bacchae by Euripides.  Represented as a violent and dangerous divinity, prone to the cruelest acts, the Dionysus protagonist of the tragedy is the **archetype of the vengeful divinity**, a warning for mortals never to stand against the divine, under penalty of death. 
An attitude very similar to that held by him towards the men who first tried to subjugate him, ending up becoming victims of the most ruthless side of a deity mistakenly considered among the most benevolent, because of his ability to alleviate suffering thanks to wine and physical pleasures. 
***
 
Among the most important sacred animals of the Greek pantheon, that of the **dolphin** is an image that has not only been a source of inspiration for films or toys such as those from which this article takes inspiration for its title, but rather hides the most intricate stories and myths, often linked to vicious gods willing to do anything to affirm their status, Inspiration for the most heterogeneous narratives. 

*Foolish mortals, you who attempted the impious act against Acratofaro, **will never again enjoy the sweet juice** of the fruits sacred to him, but forced to wander in feral form for eternity, thus you will explain your sin.* 


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Your stuffed dolphin? It could be an unfortunate Tyrrhenian sailor

Choose some visionary architects, progressive artists and in vogue designers, put them together in the same room, give them the blueprint of a boat and free rein about how to decorate it. The outcome? A ship never seen before: the Andrea Doria. 


Choose some visionary architects, progressive artists and in vogue designers, put them together in the same room, give them the blueprint of a boat and free rein about how to decorate it. The outcome? A ship never seen before: the Andrea Doria. 

With a unique elegance, it was considered the **most beautiful passenger ship of the world**. Launched on June 16, 1951, it was the pride of the Italian navy, a symbol of comfort and splendor that no one could compete with (and how could it be otherwise, after a one million dollars’ investment for decors and artworks?). 
The interiors of the transatlantic were designed by some of the greatest names on the artistic scene of those times. Architects of the caliber of **Gio Ponti** and **Giulio Minoletti**, artists like **Lucio Fontana** (in charge of the mosaics) **Salvatore Fiume** (whose Leggenda d’Italia was hung up in the first class living room), **Federico Morgante** and **Emanuele Luzzati** (to furnish the spaces dedicated to children) were called to give their input, making the ship a floating work of art. 

Traveling with the Andrea Doria meant living an experience. Whoever embarked could reach the New World breathing in the art and culture of those years, maybe giving up a faster voyage, but living in a state of grandeur whose memory would have stayed in their mind forever. A philosophy similar to the one of the Titanic, with which the Andrea Doria shared the sad ending. 

**End of an Era**

Years of movements, thousands of people carried from one side to the other of the ocean, infinite stories intertwined on its bridges: the Andrea Doria was the **vessel of dreams**. No one could imagine that its one hundred and one voyage would change in a nightmare. 

July 17, 1956: the ship is once again cutting through route Genoa - New York. 1706 souls on board, of which 1134 passengers, 572 crew members and one of the most known and esteemed Commander of the Navy, Pietro Calamai, arrived at his last journey before taking the command of the Cristoforo Colombo. Another crossing, another whirlwind of moments à la *One Thousands and One Night* full of balls, parties and pastimes with no end. And probably during one of these moments, the **last night on board*, the impossible happened. 

At 11:10 pm on the 25th of July the ship was rammed by the Swedish mercantile Stockholm in the open sea off the American coast. The hostile weather and experience of the official in charge of the Swedish vessel marked the end of the “lady of the sea”. The collision provoked a leak in the right flank of the Andrea Doria, which embarked in a short time 500 tons of water and caused the death of 46 passengers among those in the cabin hit during the collision. The ocean liner sank at 10:15 am on the 26th of July after eleven long hours of agony, **the last great tragedy of the sea** before planes became the favorite way to travel long distances. 


**Stolen Snapshots** 

To avoid the tragedy of the Andrea Doria to become an even greater tragedy were not only the competence of the Commanding Official and the crew, but also some expedients taken during the building of the ship, like the modernisation of the communication lines and the implementation of SOLAS 1948 norms. To these were added the timely rescue of numerous American flagged ships, the Stockholm itself - it went back after ensuring the ship was not at risk of sinking - and the Île de France, whose Commander Raoul de Beaudéan decided to change course even though they were hours off track. 

Documenting the shipwreck of the turboship Andrea Doria there were some photographs that would consacrate to history their makers. Among these the pics by **Loomis Dean**, passenger on the Île de France and photographer of the magazine Life, that took the picture of the ship in the fog in the distance,  resting on the affected side and with the emergency lights on, and the aerial photos of the sink by the reporter of the Boston Traveler **Harry Trask**, which earned him the 1957 Pulitzer Prize. 

**Navigate History** 

The ship rests **75 meters deep** on the location of the shipwreck, south of Nantucket on the route of the shipping line that connects Europe and the United States, unable to be recovered due to the environmental conditions of the area: cold streams, murky waters, sharks, maritime traffic, but nonetheless occasionally some treasures hunters try to dive in looking for “adventures”.  

But its story is not limited to the shipwreck’s location or to some sporadic photographs it is narrated in the place symbol of the sea itself, the Galata - Genoa Museum of the Sea. 
Here, where infinite stories of men, objects and discoveries are collected, it seems to be in the open sea: relaxed one moment and at the mercy of storms the next, with the guarantee, however, that nothing can really happen and the only turmoil caused will be those of the mind, struck by the infinite stories collected in its spaces.

In the **halls dedicated to the Andrea Doria** the visitor is able to live an all around experience. Thanks to rebuilding of some spaces of the ship and part of the bridge with a 30 degrees inclination, the visitors are invited to “come on board” and walk the floors as the passengers and crew did to save themself during that infamous night, thanks to an innovative setting that allows to understand history living it first hand… 

*… the wooden planks creak under your shoes, your lungs fill with invigorating salty air and your eyes absorb the decorations, the furniture and the oeuvres that furnish every corner and niche. Do you hear the siren sound? The ship is leaving, better hurry, or we won't be able to say goodbye to our loved ones left ashore.*


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Andrea Doria.  A fairy tale with no happy ending

What were the words to express love in ancient times?

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Love in Ancient Greece: 12 words to talk about feelings

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5 books to read if you love mythology

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Hidden artworks in Disney classics

For the World Selfie Day we propose an article that will lead you to the discovery of of the most photogenic sides of museums!

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The best side of culture

Royal companion of Emperor Frederick II, the hawk, ethereal and graceful, undisputed ruler of the skies,  in its movements it flies over a land with a thousand-year history, covering with its shade centuries-old olive trees, ruins and castles that have made the history of a territory with deep roots.

If we were to follow it, where would it take us?


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Walking in the Land of Puglia

Take a deep breath, can’t you feel the smell of the lemons? And that barely hinted noise, like a cracking wafer? Surely someone is tasting a ricotta cannoli. And the smell of dried salt, spreading through the city’s streets? Only a place can encompass all this. Where are we? But in Taormina of course!  

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Visit Taormina for the first time: 5 things no to miss

Welcome to the Cultural Salon of Aditus, the space where Museums and Parks come to life! Here we will accompany you not only to discover the sites, but also the realities in which they are inserted thanks to insights, curiosities (and why not, "juicy" topics) that will highlight a new way of experiencing culture. We are ready, and you? 

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5 things not to miss at the Archaeological Park of Neapolis

Charm and magic intertwine in this wind-kissed land, where breezes and currents are enclosed in caves and quarries, if necessary released or controlled by their sovereign god. The homeland of Aeolus, where Ulysses found refreshment and a friendly ear, welcomes you!

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Lipari in 3 days

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Come and discover the Museums and Archaeological Parks that reveal the roots of our identity


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ADITUS LANDS IN PUGLIA

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