On May 3 in the Pier Santi Mattarella Hall of the Sicilian Regional Assembly
a page was written in the history of Sicilian cultural heritage protection
During the conference The Portella della Ginestra Memorial
the initiation of the “declaration of cultural interest” of the Portella della Ginestra Memorial
located in the territory of Piana degli Albanesi
because the recognition to the site of the necessary requirements for protection
has come about thanks to Palermo Superintendent Selima Giuliano
the very year in which the work began.Respect for history and values overcame ideological and political divisions
The Conference saw a rare convergence of all political sides in the Ars and obtained the patronage of the highest institutions
the presidency of the Ars and three Departments (Cultural Heritage
Legambiente and the Portella della Ginestra Association
which represents the families of the victims who lost their lives on May 1
in what is the mother of all massacres at the beginning of Republican history
The booth is owed to Piana degli Albanesi Mayor Rosario Petta
it succeeded in getting the work’s bond initiated; in publicly committing Cultural Assets Councillor Francesco Scarpinato on the restoration and the Regional Anti-Mafia Commission on a further recognition
that of “a symbolic good of the entire nation,” to quote its president Antonello Cracolici
The Memorial is a work of civil commitment created between 1979 and 1980 by Ettore de Conciliis
with the collaboration of painter Rocco Falciano and architect Giorgio Stockel
It is built on the plateau between Mount Pizzuto and the provincial road to San Giuseppe Jato below
where the massacre carried out by the bandit Salvatore Giuliano and his men occurred
mostly peasants and laborers with their families
demonstrate against latifundism and in favor of the occupation of uncultivated land
Unarmed people paid in blood (11 dead and 27 seriously wounded) for the success reported in the Sicilian elections the previous April by the People’s Bloc with 30 percent of the vote
While internationally there was the rapid anti-communist evolution of U.S
“The identity value of the installation,” writes the Superintendency
“is also enhanced by the artist’s choice to involve the entire community
starting with the design and then with the realization
making use of local workers for the composition of the elements and the processing of materials
deliberately selected in adherence to the characteristics of the place.” A dialogue with the population
committed to keeping alive the memory of the tragic event
which De Conciliis re-established with the same attention in the preparatory stages of the Palermo Conference
the Memorial also represents the first work of land art in Sicily
preceding Burri’s Cretto in Gibellina (begun between 1984 and 1989)
From few other places emanates such secular sacredness
Exciting and destabilizing at the same time
as if with chalk he had marked the scene of the crime on the ground: the trajectory of the gunshots indicated by the trazzera that enters the Memorial’s enclosure and the silhouettes of the fallen with stone blocks that resemble menhirs
A first stone reproducing the outline of the mountain bears the date of the massacre; the “Sasso di Barbato” is dedicated to the Italo-Albanian socialist Nicola Barbato
founder and leader of the Sicilian Workers’ Fasci; two others bear vernacular verses by the peasant poet Ignazio Buttitta and the names of the victims; and at the end of the path stands the stele commemorating the tragic event (Mazza
the involvement of the Superintendency could not be ignored
I wanted to understand if there was room for recognition of the necessary requirements for protection since
it was a work made less than seventy years ago and whose author was still living
that the head of the Superintendency of Palermo is Selima Giuliano
The “window” granted by the Cultural Heritage Code was immediately identified: the constraint under Art
which states “immovable and movable things
which are of particularly important interest because of their reference to political
industrial and cultural history in general
or as evidence of the identity and history of public
collective or religious institutions.”
for a cultural property to be such there must have been either a verification of cultural interest or a declaration of cultural interest
a fundamental distinction is made between cultural property of public ownership
and cultural property of private ownership
for which a declaration of cultural interest is required under Article 13 (so-called constraint)
the procedure for which is then set out in detail in Article 14
is based on the different legal nature of the owners (possessors or holders) of the property in question
overcomes this distinction (“to whomever they belong to”)
allowing one (the Memorial) owned by a public entity (the Municipality of Piana degli Albanesi) to be declared a cultural asset as well
the recognition of the Memorial as a cultural asset subject to protection necessarily took place with a deminutio: to recognize it for its artistic interest would have had to wait another 27 years
the declaration of the Memorial’s cultural interest
“both because of its reference with history and as a unique testimony to the identity and history of collective institutions.” It is
an asset declared to be of “relational” cultural interest
As with some public stadiums or velodromes
and in the perspective of subsequent conservation work
the Memorial has its own relevant historical-artistic value
being the first work of land art in Sicily
with a substantial bibliography to support it
among which stand out the names of critics of the caliber of Enrico Crispolti
Architect Alessandro Di Blasi’s preliminary already exists
with the valuable artistic direction of Ettore De Conciliis himself
The further contribution of the writer will consist in helping to define the choices of method and guidelines in the logic of minimal intervention
which must be even more so in this case because of the specificities of the work in question and the environmental context in which it is located
we will have to limit ourselves to the interventions that are indispensable to restore the plastic complex in its material consistency and form in order to keep intact the legibility of contents and messages that we want to ferry to posterity: that is why it is
A stone that loses its verticality sees “tampered with” the metaphorical charge of that tension toward the sky that is a promise of “resurrection” of the ideals for which helpless people lost their lives
But to restore that verticality will not have to opt for invasive
even the natural washout of a freshly hewn boulder to suggest an anthropomorphic profile or the idea of the sacrificed donkey weakens the artistic act that intervened on that natural element to make it take that particular form
as a sign of nature’s interaction with the land art work
which is characterized precisely by this direct relationship with it
The project will also include interventions for the enhancement and fruition of the Memorial: suffice it to say that the site is completely devoid of signage
the captioning apparatuses (in Italian and English
the language of the Albanian ethno-linguistic minority of Piana degli Albanesi) and dedicated lighting for a purely evening visit
Ilir Meta on the way from Palermo to 'Hora e Arbëreshëve' stopped at the memorial of "Portella della Ginestra". Meta has honoured the memory of the innocent victims of one of the bloodiest massacres in the modern history of Italy
1947. "On the way from Palermo to the 'Hora e Arbëresheve' (Piana degli Albanesi)
I could not stop placing a bouquet of flowers at the Portella della Ginestra memorial to honour the memory of the innocent victims of one of the bloodiest massacres in the modern history of Italy
1947. I am proud of the sublime sacrifices and the contribution of the Arbëresh Community of Sicily in the fight against the mafia
the support of the rule of law and democracy in this region and throughout Italy"
The 'Portella della Ginestra' massacre was one of the most violent acts in the history of modern Italian politics
when 11 people were killed and 27 wounded during May Day celebrations in Sicily on May 1
in the municipality of Piana degli Albanesi
Those held responsible were the bandit and separatist leader Salvatore Giuliano and his gang - although their motives and intentions are still a matter of controversy
Plenary Session Terminated after Tensions in Assembly Hall
Opposition MPs Climbed through Windows to Enter Assembly Offices
Tirana-Besiktas Match Suspended Due to Incidents
Strong Security Measures for Bill Clinton's Visit in Tirana
DP Accuses PM of Ignoring Albanians Living in Survival Conditions
CONTEMPORARY ART MAGAZINE SINCE 1980 More...
On the occasion of the fifth edition of the “Between Land and Sea” Festival
Genny Petrotta presents a poetic ode to the lost play on the history of the Peasant People’s Republic of Piana degli Albanesi
founded more than five hundred years ago by an Italo-Albanian community
that still maintains its language and traditions
proclaimed the Peasant People’s Republic of Piana degli Albanesi
the result of a rebellion against the mismanagement of the agricultural Harvest by an alliance of large landowners and political elites that left the population starving
Courtesy the artist and Fondazione Studio Rizoma
was fascinated by this story as a teenager and
made the video Mamma Perdonami / Mëma më fal
based on a lost play narrating the story of the autonomous Republic
Genny Petrotta searches for traces of community rebellion and gathers evidence of a lost history
The seeds of her interest were planted by her grandmother
who told her about the torture her great-uncle suffered for being a socialist and a libertarian
six hundred young people from Piana degli Albanesi tried to change their country
in the name of unity and community they acted on power instead of suffering from it
but the collective removal created a layer of silence and fog
In the video they say: «We took the glass from the churches to put it in the schools
testifying to the state of fear and loss of trust in the authorities
The story begins and ends with a confrontation with the authority
hidden – according to one of the artist’s hypotheses – also by the shame of the torture suffered
Petrotta involves children and young people in her work
so that they can participate in the oral and written transmission
An important contribution was made by Angela Lanza
published Testimonianze da una repubblica contadina
Petrotta e i giovani di Piana degli Albanesi (Edizioni Centofiori
a reading shared by the artist with young people in schools in the area
which gave rise to debates and reflections reflected in the contemporary
The students were also involved in a series of workshops for the creation of stage costumes
Other collaborators included Angelo Sicurella for the vocal workshops
Giuseppe Borgia for the set design and Gloria Dorliguzzo for the choreography
a play was performed at the time that told the story of the young autonomous republic
the original text was reconstructed thanks to the contribution of Giuseppe Schirò from Modica
from whom the artist takes lessons in ancient Albanian poetry
“Struggle is the most beautiful feeling” is recited
despite the tears of the mothers of the tortured youths
The core of the whole project are the children
those whom Giacomo Petrotta could not have because of torture and those who made a revolution
Mamma Perdonami / Mëma më fal consists of a video installation and a book produced by Studio Rizoma Fondation in collaboration with Biennial Highway Prizren
with the support of several national and international cultural institutions
Museum of Civilisations Rome and European Alternatives Paris
The project is also supported by the General Directorate for Contemporary Creativity of the Ministry of Culture within the framework of the Italian Council 2023
After a three-year degree in Communication and Art Teaching and a two-year specialist course in Visual Cultures and curatorial practices at the Brera Academy of Fine Arts
she collaborates with art magazines and with independent curatorial projects between Lecce and Milan
Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value"
ASSOCIAZIONE JULIET – via Battisti 19/a – 34015 Muggia (TS)
Juliet art magazine è pubblicata a cura dell’Associazione Juliet - direttore responsabile Alessio Curto autorizzazione del Tribunale di Trieste
registro informatico C.F./P.IVA 00699740320 | c/c postale 12103347 | SWIFT UNCRIT M10MC | IBAN IT75C0200802242000005111867 | UNICREDIT Banca Trieste
People travel from around the world to visit Nicola and Luca Petta’s Extrabar
In the Sicialian village of Piana degli Albanesi, Nicola and Luca Petta are the father-son team behind Exrabar
a bakery that makes artisanal cannoli so delicious that people travel from around the world to taste them
While father Nicola and other family members work at the front of the store
son Luca is in the kitchen preparing the cannoli
and a rosé that is three-quarters white wine and one-quarter red wine
“The fat must be an unrefined lard,” explains Luca
which will allow him to make 100 cannoli shells
the shop makes an average of 1,200 to 1,500 shells
Luca mixes a rough dough that will rest in the refrigerator for an hour
which is preferable because it has less fat than cow ricotta
“This ricotta with so little sugar is difficult to find in pastry shops because it does not last long,” he says
The ricotta then goes through a straining machine that makes it silky and creamy,On average
they will pass 160 kilos of ricotta a week
Luca cuts the shell with a rhombus-shaped dough cutter that has been in his family for generations
He then shapes all the cannoli shells by hand to get them ready for frying
because each shell is closed in a way that is obvious we are not a factory,” says Luca
the ricotta and shells are taken to the front of the store
The cannolis are ready to be prepared for customers
with orange peel and pistachio added by request
“Our cannoli are filled in the moment,” says Nicola Petta
The freshest news from the food world every day
The story behind the war of the best cannoli
Most of you have probably tasted a Sicilian cannolo
tube-like pastry filled with ricotta cheese mixed with candied fruit and chocolate bits
as you look back on that dining experience
you might think to yourself: Was it the real thing
the only place in the world boasting the original version is the cannolo’s homeland
This region has been dubbed Italy’s “sweet tooth kingdom” and the cannolo is worshipped as the king
Sicilians are dead serious about their pastries
In every village (or fraction of every village
really) is a single pastry shop proud to make its very own type of cannolo with a few signature variations
Pastry boutiques can get really worked up if you happen to buy cannoli not at their place but at the rival bar just a few steps away
It’s like with pizza in Naples and spaghetti all’amatriciana in Rome—all eateries and pizzerias claim to make the best of the best
While it might sound tame as far as rivalries go
Two hamlets are fighting over who makes the most delicious cannolo in Sicily
making it a big deal by driving across the region to taste the different varieties
even though regional competitions are regularly held to award leading pastry makers
these locations have gained popularity and are in the spotlight
a town rising on the green pristine hills surrounding Sicily’s capital
that has an Albanian-sounding tone and is called arbereshe
The village name in Italian means “the plane of the Albanians.” It’s an intriguing
picturesque place where foreigners might feel a bit confused: road signs are written in both Italian and arbereshe
a tribe of Greek-Albanians fleeing from the Turkish empire crossed the sea and found shelter here near the banks of a lake
Town folks are as proud of their origins as of their cannolo
Families from Palermo drive up here each weekend to fetch trays full of cannoli for post-mass lunches on Sundays
the Cannolo Festival lured thousands of sweet-toothed visitors who’d chow down on handfuls of ricotta-stuffed tubes
There was even a cannolo eating marathon to see who had the guts—or rather
the appropriate blood sugar level—to devour the most
authentic cannolo was prepared and showcased on the village piazza
But what makes Piana’s tube-shaped treat special
zero food-miles sheep ricotta cheese comes straight from the pastures each morning through the hands of artisan dairymen
gives great nourishment to the sheep that produce premium milk
each pastry shop in town has its own recipe but
in Piana degli Albanesi the ricotta is the more traditional one
sifted and sexed up with a bit of extra sugar into a sort of creamy
velvety filling so the pastry ends up being very much on the sweet side
Candied fruits and chocolate crumbs are also added
one of the town’s historical pastry boutiques run by the Petta family
also makes a “rough” ricotta with a slightly grainy texture and some honey
is exclusively handmade according to a top-secret
it’s 18 centimeters long with 200 grams of heavenly delight
If that seems like a big cannolo to gulp down
wait until you try the one made at a rival establishment
and arguably unremarkable hamlet near the main city of Trapani
It’s just a bunch of white low-cut houses and dusty
flat streets—one of those places you’d never even dream of stopping by if it weren’t for one single thing: Sicily’s largest cannolo
made at a tiny pastry shop called Euro Bar
The shell dough is 23 centimeters long and doesn’t fit on a normal plate
super crunchy thick shell that’s covered with huge
popped bubbles that resemble tiny volcanos
but that’s how I like my cannolo: when my teeth bite into it
the shell cracks open and the delicious ricotta oozes out
and is so granular and dense that you can feel tiny hard bits of it moving between your teeth
Purists love their cannolo “straight,” or gritty ricotta with a crispy shell that’s not excessively sweet
I like to stick candied orange peels inside each end
the pastry makers refuse to add candied fruits—rather
“Clients are happy and tell their friends about us,” says Euro Bar owner Michele Mazzara
Many holidayers landing at Trapani’s harbor from the Egadi islands stop by just to pick up a tray of our cannoli
Often before they disembark from the ferry boats
they ask the captain where to find the best cannoli and he names us
The first time I heard about Dattilo’s was during a weekend on spellbinding Levanzo isle
I was hell-bent on taking back home a tray of Sicilian cannoli
so when I asked locals where I could find my favorite type
Tourists visiting Dattilo’s nearby stunning salt pans lagoon dotted with ancient windmills rising out of pinkish-purple water also stop by for the sweet treats
I refuse to buy cannolos here because I wouldn’t be indulging in the authentic thing
It’s like eating spaghetti alla Carbonara in Turin or buffalo mozzarella in Alto Adige
Sicilians often have one or two cannoli for lunch—it’s something they just can’t live without
A Sicilian lady once told me that she could forsake dinner but couldn’t go to bed without having something sweet; she’d feel sad
A Sicilian historian explained why Sicilians make the best pastries: in a land full of violence
locals just had to come up with something sugary and pleasant
whether you’re more obsessed with the kind of ricotta
The only sacred rule is the shell must be filled with ricotta then and there
last-minute—otherwise it gets soaked and is no longer crispy
It would be a sacrilege savoring a ready-to-eat cannolo
Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker