We look forward to seeing you on 2 November at Castello Volante, from 7 pm, for the opening of the ‘WOMAN!’ exhibition!
‘WOMAN’ is an ongoing painting project, curated by the artist Emilia Ruggiero, which began in 2019 and tells the stories of women. Strong, tenacious, rebellious, dreamers. Women who have learnt to navigate a world still unprepared for equality and who, with determination, forge their own paths amidst countless difficulties. Women who create beauty and life. A tribute to beauty, explored in depth by the artist Emilia Ruggiero through the human relationships that bind her inextricably to a positive femininity. A sort of narrative of our times and our places, made up of faces, some of whom are very dear to local cultural circles: artists, singers, dancers, actresses. Thus, the exhibition itself becomes merely a pretext to talk about them, their circumstances and the difficulties they face, but also the beauty of their lives and their artistic journeys.
The protagonists of ‘WOMAN’ are the women of today who, despite facing many difficulties, have managed, through creativity, to reclaim themselves and carve out their own space in a world that, whilst wonderful, is still fraught with contradictions. The project aims to support these journeys by recognising art as a great opportunity and resource. Art, therefore, as a process of liberation and emancipation, but also – and above all – as a space for encounter, dialogue and exchange.
As part of this initiative, we acknowledge the contribution of the Euro-Mediterranean Cultural Heritage Agency.
Emilia Ruggiero, born in Mesagne in 1979, graduated from the ‘Edgardo Simone’ Art School in Brindisi in 1998 and went on to study Cultural Heritage Conservation at the University of Lecce. She graduated with first-class honours in 2006, with a dissertation on cultural heritage legislation, focusing on the legal framework governing contemporary art. The period following her graduation saw her take part in numerous training courses in the cultural, tourism, archival and library sectors.Over the years, she has continued her own artistic research, developing various projects. Among the best known is the series entitled ‘People’, a substantial collection of portraits of ordinary people, painted in acrylic on canvas, which has become the subject of a wide-ranging merchandising campaign. She has collaborated with various organisations in the cultural sector, helping to organise a number of projects, including the first edition of the European CreArt project for the Municipality of Lecce in 2013, and most recently serving as artistic director of the Pugliartist II project on behalf of the Euro-Mediterranean Cultural Heritage Agency, in 2019. He has also collaborated with the food and wine sector; in 2009, he contributed to the editorial team of the magazine ‘Salento in bocca’ by chef Tonio Piceci. He helped found the cultural association ‘Transito’ in 2010, dedicated to promoting local folk music. Finally, again with a view to supporting creativity, he conceived and organised ‘mARTa’, the Accessible Art Market, for its first and second editions, held at the Officine Cantelmo venue in Lecce in 2013 and 2014. In recent years, he has continued his artistic exploration by delving into the potential of graphic design and created the posters for the Blufestival organised by the Municipality of Melendugno (2017/18). 2019 concluded with a preview of the new painting series “WOMAN” at the ‘Fondo Verri’ in Lecce, from 26 December 2019 to 6 January 2019 as part of the 19th edition of the LeManiel’Ascolto event, accompanied by an introductory text by the Salento-based writer Osvaldo Piliego. It also featured a wonderful and unexpected interview conducted by the well-known Dutch blogger Peter de Kuster:
She has exhibited and taken part in numerous artistic events. Among the group exhibitions: ‘Percorsi artistici salentini’, curated by Massimo Guastella (Galatina, Pietro Cavoti Museum, August 2011; Muro Leccese, Dominican Convent, September 2011); ‘Autoritratti. Artisti del terzo millennio’, curated by Massimo Guastella (Galatina, December 2011; Ceglie Messapica, July–August 2012); ‘Kraino: A Toast to Art 2014’, fifth edition, curated by Simona Caramia and Lorenzo Madaro (MUST – Historical Museum of the City of Lecce, June 2014); Fragile_III, curated by Benedetta Spagnuolo (Genoa, Museoteatro della Commenda di Prè, July 2018). We recall his most recent solo exhibition, ‘A cuor leggero’, held in 2018 at the former Sant’Anna Conservatoire and curated by Lorenzo Madaro. He currently lives and works in Lecce.
