Frigolandia faces eviction: Umbrian town orders removal of iconic art archive

The municipality of Giano dell'Umbria has issued an eviction order against Frigolandia, the archive and cultural center founded by Vincenzo Sparagna in 2005. Frigolandia houses the legacy of the influential Italian magazine Frigidaire, along with related publications such as Il Nuovo Male, Frìzzer, and Vomito. The eviction is based on a dispute over the automatic renewal of the lease for the former elementary school building that houses the archive. Despite regular rent payments and a contract valid until 2045, the local administration, led by a new mayor, has contested the renewal, claiming it was not legitimate. The conflict stems from long-standing local hostility toward Sparagna, seen as an outsider. In 2018, Yale University's Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library acquired a significant portion of the archive, recognizing its cultural value. The eviction threatens the preservation of a vast collection of comics, prints, paintings, and publications that document a pivotal era in Italian counterculture. An online petition has been launched to save Frigolandia.