Aquila Calls for Artists in Citywide Revitalization

The city of L’ Aquila, Italy was devastated by an earthquake five years ago and, since then, the population has been seeking a way to transform their city’s center. Off Site Art is the city’s newest project, inviting up-and-coming artists from Italy to participate in the renovation of their city through the creation of works of art in public spaces throughout the city.

The origin of this project comes from ArtBridge, a New York based initiative that offers up public spaces, like scaffoldings and enclosures, to artists from the community to create large works of art in order to bring life and color into the city. ArtBridge hopes to enact the same kind of transformation of various unsightly locations into massive works of art and culture in L’Aquila.

Veronica Santi, the curator of Off Site Art, is welcoming submissions of works of art from artists all across Italy for acceptance into the project. An international scientific committee composed of many experts of art will decide what works will be showcased arounf the city. Ida Panicelli (Director of ArtForum 1988-1992, New York), Cecilia Alemani (Donald R. Mullen, Jr. Curator & Director di High Line Art, New York), Cecilia Guida (Independend Curator and Professor of Art History at l’Accademia di Belle Arti of L’Aquila), Giuseppe Lignano (Founder and President of LOT-EK, Napoli and New York) make up this prestigious committee. Those works that are chosen will be enlarged to cover the scaffoldings of varying construction sites across the city, shown until the end of the renovation of each building.

Off Site Art represents a renewal of L’Aquila, demonstrating the symbolism and responsibility of art in this initiative. For more information on ArtBridge and Off Site Art or to submit a work of art for consideration, please visit their website.

–Marissa Bondi