San Leucio, a realized utopia
- At March 22, 2013
- By Zia Lucy
- In Senza categoria
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It was when his son died that Ferdinand IV of Bourbon decided to convert his small property of San Leucio into a poorhouse. Soon he realized the poor were living into a sort of “otium”, so he decided to send some of them to France: they learned how to produce silk and, once back, San Leucio was transformed into a Silk Factory.
Its fabrics were luxurious and perfectly made so they became famous all over the world: Ferdinand and his wife decided to live in San Leucio and housed their noble guests who came to buy the beautiful silk. The Factory was a sort of realized utopia: the poor’s lives became wealthy and Ferdinand realized his “Enlightenment” dream by providing them a job, houses, food and laws.
The glory of the factory lasted until the italian unification, then it was left abandoned….historical events changed lots of things, though a small part of the manifacturing art was handed down from generation to generation.
Few years ago the factory, with its machines (one was the famous loom “Jacquard“), was completely restored and opened to the public.
When I’ve visited San Leucio I felt like a princess for a few hours: I saw beautiful silk naturally coloured in blue, gold and purple…I imagined how was the life of Bourbons in the 18th century and how they were smart.
May I suggest you something, my dear reader?
If you travel to Campania do not miss few hours in San Leucio’s Factory…and if you have more time, go for a walk into the old medieval town of Caserta (Caserta vecchia)… where your dream of living in the past becomes true.
An International Artist of Positano: Marina Pane
- At March 15, 2013
- By Zia Lucy
- In Senza categoria
- 0
The Spring of FAI (Italian Environment Fund) has opened this year in Salerno with the exhibition of the painter Marina Pane. Trained at the Art Institute of Sorrento and the Academy of Fine Arts in Naples, Marina Pane is characterized by a particular style and recognizable dreamlike and primitivist expression .
The presentation was organized by Matilde Romito currently involved in the drafting of the second anthology of ” The Painting of Positano in 1900”.
In the opening comments of the exibition, Romito described Marina as an exponent of the international scene (English mother, African husband) of artists who work or have worked in Positano, putting her paintings in the context of coastal iconographic themes and formal references to an innate in the landscape cubism.
In her work Marina Pane ranges from graphic design to pottery to oil paintings and watercolors, She is interested in introspective visual search, a field that favors and which finds expression in painting workshops for children carried out until now in Praiano, Sorrento and Burkina Faso.
Artist of the Week: meeting Sosò
- At March 04, 2013
- By Zia Lucy
- In Senza categoria
- 0
Joseph Guarracino, aka Soso, lives in Positano and began his artistic career in the world of flowers and fashion, drawing beautiful clothes and creating wonderful floral arrangements. Since few years He makes in his laboratory ceramics and furnishings inspired by the history and culture of the Amalfi Coast, combining classic style and contemporary modern design with a unique personal touch. In his Atelier we can meet panels, vases and plates with a revival of Roman and Byzantine mosaics unearthed during archaeological excavations of the famous Otium Villas along the Coast, lamps and candle holders in a Moorish style, sculptures of sirens and special views of Positano in Pop Style .
Looking out from the wall of the “hot corner” (full of peppers which are symbols of good luck) in Via Pasitea 51 You will have the chance to discover the garden of Art, where Sosò organizes photographic and painting exhibitions both personal and of local artists.
Sosò, through his art, gives us an unusual and fascinating vision of our beautiful country, thanks to which we can bring Positano in our hearts and also in our homes.
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