Gibellina's permanent contemporary art lab: Cristina Costanzo and Flavio Favelli in conversation

In an interview with exibart.com, scholar Cristina Costanzo and artist Flavio Favelli discuss Gibellina's unique status as a permanent laboratory of contemporary art. Costanzo explains that the town's contemporary vocation stems from its singular history: the 1968 Belice earthquake destroyed the original town, leading to a complete reconstruction 20 km away under the guidance of Ludovico Corrao. Artists like Alberto Burri (Cretto), Pietro Consagra (Teatro and Meeting), Nanda Vigo (Tracce antropomorfe), Francesco Venezia (Giardini segreti), Carla Accardi (Pannelli in ceramica), and Mimmo Paladino (Montagna di sale) contributed works that engage with memory and place. Favelli's new mural "500"—depicting oversized 500,000 lire and 500 euro banknotes—will be inaugurated on July 4, 2026, in Piazza 15 gennaio. Favelli distinguishes his "painted walls" from murals, rejecting the term's political connotations. He sees his 31st wall painting as a way to gauge Italy's societal temperature, from Milan to Reggio Calabria. Costanzo emphasizes that the reconstruction process, which involved artisans and artists like Alighiero Boetti and Isabella Ducrot in reviving local traditions such as the Prisenti processional banner, remains an ongoing utopian project. Favelli is also creating a new painted wall in Pereto in mid-July 2026, following his earlier work "Oggi" (2018) which was later erased.