Antonio Marras and Francesco Bellina's 'Nonostante Ballarò' in Palermo

Photographer Francesco Bellina (born 1989 in Trapani) and designer-artist Antonio Marras (born 1961 in Alghero) met on social media during the lockdown. From May 4 to June 3, 2024, they present 'Nonostante Ballarò' in Palermo, with an opening on May 3. The exhibition spans two venues: the Church of SS. Crispino and Crispiniano and the foyer of Hotel Villa Igiea – A Rocco Forte Hotel, which collaborates on the project. It features 18 photographs capturing Marras's two-day whirlwind visit to the Ballarò district, where he engaged with locals—including illegal parking attendants, a barter market, fig trees, and rubble—using his fabric artworks as props. Bellina's agile, improvised photography documents Marras's direction of a live set that blends fashion show, advertising campaign, social experiment, and documentary. The installation at the church recreates the building's architectural spaces to showcase the visual narratives. Marras's creations unite disparate worlds through the active participation of Ballarò's residents, who embraced the project. The promotion is handled by startup Spaghetti Boost.