Ragusa restores Carmelo Cappello works, unveils new museum space

On June 3, 2026, Ragusa celebrated the return of restored works by sculptor Carmelo Cappello to public view and presented plans for a permanent exhibition space in the Palazzo di Città. The event, titled 'Carmelo Cappello – Passato, presente e futuro,' took place at Piazza Matteotti and the town hall. Mayor Peppe Cassì emphasized that the project reaffirms Cappello's artistic identity in the city's heart. The new Civica Raccolta will occupy the ground floor of the municipal building as part of a broader cultural enhancement of the historic center. Speakers included superintendent Antonino De Marco, councilor Giovanni Gurrieri, and Alfredo Cappello of the Archivio Carmelo Cappello. The Rotary Club Ragusa Hybla Heraea funded restoration of a bas-relief, while students and teachers from Liceo Artistico Galileo Ferraris worked on the Fontana della Rinascita, documented by Ecomuseo CARAT. Architect Fabrizio Occhipinti Amato and cultural expert Clorinda Arezzo presented the exhibition design, with technical input from restorer Amalia Criscione and architect Emanuele Leggio. Cappello (Ragusa 1912–Milano 1996) was a leading figure in 20th-century Italian sculpture.