Castelbuono Museum Reopens with Mediterranean-Focused Collection

The Museo Civico di Castelbuono in Sicily has inaugurated a new permanent collection display titled 'Schiuma di mare e attorno,' reinterpreting its contemporary art holdings. The collection originated from the Di Piazza donation in 1996, featuring works by Bruno Caruso, Corrado Cagli, Josè Ortega, and Mario Schifano. After two decades of acquisitions and temporary productions, the museum has added works by Letizia Battaglia, Sandro Scalia, Alessandro Bazan, and Francesco De Grandi. The title quotes a verse by local poet Giuseppe Mazzola Barreca. Scientific planning in recent years has explored Mediterranean culture and identity, engaging Sicilian and international artists. Artistic director Laura Barreca, who leads the museum, commented that thematic sections function as 'islands' communicating through visual, conceptual, or chronological relationships. The museum, housed in a medieval castle, aims to create a dynamic dialogue between its collections of ancient art, sacred art, and contemporary art, representing the material and immaterial culture of Castelbuono and the Mediterranean. The reinstallation was designed by architects Natale Allegra and Michele Puccia.