“Dal museo al paesaggio” (from museum to landscape) is a project that since 2013 has been drawing the map of a route made of painted walls starting from Museo civico Luigi Varoli in Cotignola historical centre and then branching out and joining, not only ideally, with the landscape and the countryside, the parks and the naturalistic areas. It ends up in a place where, during the month of July, in one of Senio river floodplains, the “Arena delle balle di paglia” (arena of haystacks) takes place. Starting from the second half of May 2018, the work-in-progress constellation of painted walls grows and expands thanks to a sequence of new artworks made by street artists. In line with the characteristics and the mission of this “extended museum and geography”, this series of images are inspired and intertwined with stories, memories, identities, ghosts and suggestions which are typical of the territory.
Here’s the list of artworks along this fascinating street art route
- “La Madonna della lepre” by Irene Lasivita (2017)
Where: Via Cenacchio
The mural is made on a huge farmhouse wall. - “Papaveri&Upupe” by Reve Più (2016)
Where: Via Cenacchio
The mural was made on the occasion of Nell’Arena delle Balle di Paglia and is inspired by the countryside landscape, bucolically inhabited by hoopoes, sparrows and poppies, fluttering little leaves and other familiar inhabitants of these flat and labour-intensive landscapes. A very lively and colourful drawing, with sketches of traces and elements looking like an unfinished painting. - “Nasce dall’unione della terra con il sole” by Gola Hundun (2017)
Where: Via Peschiera
A rickety house wrapped by ivy, a temporary scenario for an artwork bound to be remembered for its beauty - “Volti” by Gonzalo Borondo (2013)
Where: Arena delle balle di paglia (near Via Cenacchio, where Senio river meets Canale Emiliano Romagnolo)
The artist from Madrid made the artwork on a wall close to the river bank, with an extremely pictorial and tonal style from which two faces emerge: the first has wide open eyes and open mouth, almost astonished or absorbed; the second has closed eyes and looks like contemplating or asleep. - “Muzio Attendolo Sforza” by James Kalinda (2016)
Where: Via Pascoli (area between Via Matteotti and Corso Sforza)
The wall portraits Giacomo Attendolo (Cotignola 1369–Pescara 1424) whose nickname was Muzio, then called Sforza, commander and captain of fortune, count of Cotignola and ancestor of Storza, one of the most important families of the Italian Renaissance, Lords of Milan and Pesaro. - “Lucia degli Attendoli” by Signora K (2016)
Where: Via Pascoli (area between Via Matteotti and Corso Sforza)
The mural portraits Lucia Terzani da Torgiano, also known as Lucia da Torsciano, who went down in history for being the lover of commander Muzio Attendolo Sforza, count of Cotignola, with whom she had eight children, among them Francesco Sforza. Lucia is portrayed while, with her thin and long hands, she holds a branch of golden flowers against her breast and womb. The same flowers decorate her hair. Still a child and unaware of her sealed fate, she would then lead the future dynasty of Sforza. - “Distributore non automatico di coraggio” by Collettivo FX (2015)
Where: Piazzale Amendola/Via Matteotti
Inside an Enel electrical room, a series of paintings and windows recall some of the protagonists of those long 145 days during which the front was along the Senio river bank, from November 1944 to liberation, on 10th April 1945. The faces of the four Just are among the Nations: Luigi and Anna Varoli, Vittorio and Serafina Zanzi, who were part of an unusual and extraordinary solidarity network which involved the entire community when trying to protect and welcome, not only 41 Jewish but also political refugees, displaced and anyone who was hunted and in difficulty. - “La Segavecchia e i mascheroni di Luigi Varoli” by Marina Girardi and Rocco Lombardi (2016)
Where: Via Matteotti
The artwork represents Segavecchia carried on a parade by the oxen and surrounded by the famous papier-mâché head made by artist Luigi Varoli from Cotignola. These masks, Fellini-like caricatures, portrait drinkers and idlers such as La Rusita, La Flema, Gori and Maroc, are now kept at the museum on the first floor of Palazzo Sforza. - “Dietro ogni matto c’è un villaggio” by Collettivo FX (2015)
Where: Via Matteotti
The artwork represents the madmen of the village portrayed by artist Luigi Varoli on his extraordinary papier-mâché masks, made almost 70 years ago on the occasion of the first Segavecchia after the war. They are now kept at the museum of the Palazzo Sforza. - “Cotogno” by Reve Più (2018)
Where: Via Matteotti
This mural can only be fully observed from the steps of the Town Hall. - “Cat boy” by Martoz (2017)
Where: Via Cairoli 6
It is probably the biggest cat in Europe and it is drawn on a façade of Scuola di Arti e Mestieri, recalling the characters from the comic “La mela mascherata”, set in Cotignyork. - “La fatucchiera” by Martoz (2018)
Where: Via Cairoli 6
Another fictional character from the author’s imaginary Cotignola. - “Colori dentro, colori fuori” by Zosen Bandido and Mina Hamada (2018)
Where: Via Cairoli 6
The Scuola Arti e Mestieri is completed: now also the back wall is painted. - “Maestro” by Massimiliano Fabbri (2018)
Where: Via Cairoli 6
“Maestro” Luigi Varoli, wearing his own caricature masks, goes out of the Scuola Arti e Mestieri and enters the landscape - “Fragrantia durat herculea capta manu” by Gio Pistone (2018)
Where: Via Cairoli 6
A new interpretation of Cotignola coat of arms - “La Segavecchia” by Zosen Bandido and Mina Hamada (2017)
Where: Parco Bacchettoni (Via Cairoli/Via Roma)
The two artists based in Barcelona are paying tribute to the most ancient festival in Cotignola, by giving their joyful interpretation of this century-old local tradition - “Vassura” by About Ponny (2018)
Where: Via dal Rio 16
The artist from Cotignola dedicates a wall to Giuseppe Vassura, aviator from Cotignola who died on a mission on 27th October 1918, during the Great War, one hundred years after his death. - “L’arzdora” by Hyuro (2018)
Where: Via Roma
The theme of this artwork is women empowerment. This work is dedicated to women, who made their voice heard in a strongly patriarchal and hierarchical families. - “Nel Senio della Memoria” by Marilena Benini in collaboration with the students of third class of Secondary School, First Degree, school year. 2018/2019 (2019)
Where: Via Marconi 56
School students, together with the artist, have drawn Liberation, depicting the river of Cotignola, the areas it runs through, the front that led to death and destruction in 1944-45. - “Operazione Bandiera bianca” by About Ponny in collaboration with the students of third classes of Secondary School, First Degree, school year 2017/2018 (2018)
Where: Via Marconi 56
The heroic action of Father Stefano Casadio and Partisan Leno Casadio, takes life in this mural made in collaboration with the students from Middle School Varoli. - “Grano” by Gola Hundun & Tellas (2018)
Where: Via Canossa/Via Marconi
The former agrarian consortium paints itself of wheat, basic food of rural civilization and of hilly landscape; the same landscape that can be admired from a distance when walking along Senio bank. - “Volto di bambina” by Stinkfish (2017)
Where: San Severo, Via San Severo
The mural is part of “Cuma Project”, born to support popular and indigenous organizations of Latin America. The artwork is characterized by the use of elements from the local history. - “La Madonna dell’Adesso (o già pronta)” by Collettivo FX (2017)
Where: Budrio, Via Gaggio
The artwork shows the bond between the Budrio community and the Blessed Virgin. Celebrated every summer, this religious figure has a special relation with the territory: real or mythological episodes have transformed her name and gave life to a very strong link with the population. The Virgin Mary often represents Faith but first of all the people themselves. - “SS. Madre Incoronata del Risveglio” by Collettivo FX (2017)
Where: Barbiano, Via del Castello
In this artwork by Collettivo FX the Holy Mother holds a paper with a series of questions intimately addressed to passers-by. - “LI EXT AB IT” by Nicola Alessandrini (2018)
Where: Barbiano, Via Alberico da Barbiano
Alberico da Barbiano was a mercenary and captain of fortune who lived in the second half of XIV century, known for his ferocity. His motto was “LI-IT-AB-EXT” (“Italia ab exteris liberata” / Italy liberated by foreigners). For this reason his figure has become part of the ideological pantheon of fascist propaganda. The mural is made on the wall of a house inhabited by migrants and asylum seekers in Barbiano di Cotignola (RA). The only way to reproduce the character of Alberico was by depriving him of his ferocity and fierceness, by highlighting the ridiculousness of anyone who is violent or mythicizes violence. - “Stemmi” by Gino Pellegrini (2011)
Where: Barbiano, Piazza Alberico 7
Not a real mural, but rather the decoration of the square, made by scenographer Gino Pellegrini, who made the image of planet Earth seen from Space in the famous film by Stanley Kubrisk “2001: a Space Odyssey”. - Opera by Dem (Terrena 2019)
Where: Unrra village, between vie Pascoli and via Alighieri
The artwork is inside Unrra village (acronym standing for United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration), built just after the Second World War for assistance and rehabilitation of the areas particularly hit by the war, like Cotignola. The images show the famous philosopher Ernesto de Martino during his stay in Cotignola, during the front passage.
