“Coppe di stelle nel cerchio del sole”, Planeta’s “Journey to Sicily # 9”, in Palermo

The title of the Sicilian wine brand Planeta’s show, “Journey to Sicily # 9” is “Coppe di stelle nel cerchio del sole”, inspired by the verses of the Arab-Sicilian philologist and poet, Ibn al-Qattâ (Sicily, 1041-Cairo, 1121). The verses refer to wine and natural phenomena, invaluable traces of an abundant production and an indelible intertwining of cultures. The show, conceived and produced by Planeta, was created in collaboration with the Department of Cultural Heritage and Sicilian Identity of the Sicilian Region. It is the result of a public-private sponsorship agreement, which began and ended at the Regional Gallery of Sicily, at Palazzo Abatellis in Palermo. The show started on May 24th and will end on July 10th. It will host, in the Sicilian brand’s Estates, a collective exhibition, curated by Valentina Bruschi, and a historical section curated by Evelina De Castro, the director of the Gallery, and the works of the residence artists Bea Bonafini, Gili Lavy, Emiliano Maggi and Diego Miguel Mirabella as well as the author, Chiara Barzini and the photographer, Matteo Buonomo. Further, as an integral part of the project, in collaboration with the Gallery, Planeta has restored a group of unpublished works from the warehouses of Palazzo Abatellis, selected to be exhibited in public for the first time.
Restoring the works involved two objects that were in the warehouses. A Cylinder with inscriptions and a perforated band made of chiseled and cast silver-plated copper dated to the 17th-18th century, and a pierced, embossed, chiseled and cast copper lamp from the 18th century-19th century. “The collaboration between public and private in the interest of enhancing art is s gesture of great sensitivity”, Alberto Samonà, Councilor for Cultural Heritage and Identity of the Sicilian Region, emphasized, “which I hope will help to inspire the people who want to contribute to enhancing the outstanding Sicilian regional heritage, using important tools, such as technical sponsorships and the art bonus. We are presenting the synthesis of an act of love for our land, which has allowed us to restore and exhibit precious artistic works kept in the warehouses of Palazzo Abatellis”.