Cvtà Street Fest 2021: Murals and Community in Civitacampomarano

The 2021 edition of the Cvtà Street Fest in Civitacampomarano, Molise, aimed to counter depopulation and pandemic hardship with a strong artistic statement. Founded in 2016 by Alice Pasquini, the festival hosted two sessions in late June and early July. First, the Spanish duo Cristian Blanxer and Victor Garcia Repo created a mural of a girl learning to walk, symbolizing hope and the village's future. They also painted an extra, unplanned work based on an old family photograph of four smiling girls at a window, depicting Maria, Graziella, Antonietta, and Giulia—two of whom still live locally, one in Rome, and one in Argentina. Later, Brazilian artist Thiago Mazza painted two pomegranate flowers (Punica granatum) on a building, representing the cyclical dance of life and the symbiosis between humans and nature. The festival emphasized intimate connections with residents, allowing artists to engage deeply with local customs. Pasquini noted that the murals this year fit perfectly into the context, with the youngest child depicted becoming a symbol of resistance for the few children growing up in the village.