Hope Around: New York Graffiti Exhibition at Dromos Festival in Sardinia

The 27th edition of the Dromos Festival in Oristano, Sardinia, hosts the exhibition 'Hope Around. New York Graffiti', featuring the previously unseen personal collection of Pietro Molinas Balata. Curated by Fabiola Naldi, the show presents 47 works from the Old School New York graffiti scene of the 1970s and 1980s, including pieces by Rammellzee, Phase II, Zephyr, Duster, Dondi, Delta II, Fab Five Freddy, Lee Quinones, Ero, Kool Koor, Toxic, and A-One. Naldi, initially skeptical about exhibiting graffiti outside urban spaces, was convinced by the collection's authenticity. The exhibition also pays homage to Francesca Alinovi's 1984 exhibition 'Arte di frontiera: New York Graffiti' at the Galleria d’Arte Moderna di Bologna. Naldi previously curated 'Frontiera 40. Italian Style Writing 1984–2024' in 2024, involving 181 Italian writers. The collection, described as the most comprehensive of New York writers, is shown for the first time in Sardinia, chosen by Balata. Naldi emphasizes the importance of maintaining graffiti's original spirit and criticizes institutional exploitation, while noting the show's strong visitor turnout, especially among young audiences.