Merely pictures on a wall

Campobasso the regional capital of Molise is a city of two parts, both the old and the new sitting side by side.

This is not unusual of course in the world today, where wars, earthquakes and simply the passage of time have made their mark.

If you stand to look out over the skyline of virtually any city large or small in the world today you will see a tangle of buildings old and new, like trees in a jungle reaching upwards to reach the sky.

Although a small city of only 225, 000 inhabitants Campobasso tries to hold it's head high in the rural region of Molise where money is in short supply. There is very little industry so the region's main income is from agriculture.

However, for me, there is one thing that makes Campobasso stand out from the crowd. It's ART. Some might not agree with me, but in my opinion, Molise should capitalise on the talents of it's many, many accomplished artists and use their abilities to sell the city and the region simply by promoting it's art.

Apart from the talents of the street artists of which there are many, there are also many talented fresco artists painting exceptionally beautiful paintings in the churches.

There are young exceptionally talented graphic artists, portrait artists and others all of whom need support to find a way to make a living through their talent and not be forced to leave the region to earn a living.

Art is not new to Molise, the astonishingly beautiful churches and castles have stood here for centuries decorated by local artists and craftsman. 

Exceptionally talented Artists from the past like Elena Ciamarra from Torella Del Sannio still remain unknown.
Her life work of over 3000 paintings sits gathering dust waiting for an opportunity to be displayed and to finally be given the recognition it deserves.

The village of Civitcampomarano too, in Molise, is a spectacular hilltop village, with fortified walls and a castle which holds another secret, it's walls are adorned by a whole selection of murals tucked away in doorways and waiting to surprise as you turn every corner. Many are painted by artist American and Italian Alice Pasquini, whose family we originally from the village
Returning to Campobasso city the wall murals around the city are exceptional and I am hoping to meet with the artists who have painted them, to learn more about their work.

In the next few months, I hope to meet with artists, schools, and colleges in the area and work with them to build links with artists and art lovers in the UK and elsewhere in the world...

I want to help the WORLD to find YOU .... MOLISE  and see WHAT you have to offer.

So if you are an Artist here in Molise, or want to find out more about ART here in Molise





GET IN TOUCH with ME NOWPLEASE

Molise loved but lost

Yesterday afternoon I  meandered through the streets of Torella del Sannio, below the towering castle walls with the Elena Cammarano.

She holds in her hands the responsibility to see that this magnificent monument, which has been in her family for generations does not once again become a pile of rubble. Built originally in the 1500s it has stood stalwartly towering over the sweeping landscape which surrounds it. Despite being severely damaged in WWII  when it was bombed it still remains largely habitable unlike so many other castles in the Molise region which have fallen into total disrepair.

The castle houses a huge collection of paintings created by her grandmother Elena Ciamarra. She has remained virtually undiscovered, despite the fact that she was a very talented and accomplished artist. Her paintings adorn the walls of the castle, along with a vast collection of books on art and literature.

Now, granddaughter Elena is battling to secure funding to enable her to maintain the heritage of her family, her village, and the region. This is a huge problem here in Molise, not solely for Torella del Sannio.

Travelling around extensively around Molise in the last few months I have fallen in love with the region, and am heartbroken to see it disintegrating into dust.

With the words of this song by Jimmy Ruffin resonating in my heart I have already seen that is so much that needs to be done, and now.

I am of course a foreigner, and will always be so.
Why do I care?
Let me tell you why, it is because Molise is not in a war-torn area in the Middle East, or in a desolate region of Africa. It is HERE now in EUROPE and as Europeans, and we have a collective responsibility to protect our heritage before it is too late. 

It is important too, to find the families of those who left Molise  to Canada, the USA or elsewhere and whose heritage is being reduced to tatters..

Torella del Sannio is trying it's best thanks to people like Elena but it is not enough.

I do not have any Italian ancestors, my mother's family hail from Yorkshire in the north of England, and my father's from Wales, but I am nothing if not a tough and resilient optimist.  I am prepared to spend countless hours trudging around the region taking photographs, talking to people, to show the world MOLISE DOES EXIST and MUST NOT BE ALLOWED TO CRUMBLE INTO DUST

YOU CAN HELP TOO

•  By becoming a member of the MADE IN MOLISE group.
• Visiting the region for a holiday, which will boast it's ailing economy
• Read this blog and spread the word
• Offering to make donations to projects being set up to restore the buildings and art in the area
• Taking part in Art, photographic, music and literary competitions
• You can buy a property and lovingly restore it.
• AND LAST NOT LEAST ... TELL THE WORLD so we CAN DO SOMETHING NOW 

Thank you ...
Grazie Mille .....................................