Jasmine Pignatelli's public sculpture in Bari to have twin in Durrës, Albania
On August 8, 1991, a merchant ship brought 18,000 Albanian refugees to Bari, marking a pivotal event in 20th-century immigration. To commemorate this, Jasmine Pignatelli designed the artwork 'Sono Persone 8.8.1991' at the San Girolamo waterfront, in collaboration with Arca Puglia and curated by Stefano Straziota, with Anna Gambatesa and Giuseppe Dalfino. The sculpture features a Morse code inscription of a quote from then-mayor Enrico Dalfino: "They are people, desperate people. They cannot be sent back; we are their only hope." For the 30th anniversary on August 8, 2021, a matching sculpture will be installed in Durrës to connect the two cities, along with cultural events celebrating the Vlora's arrival.
Key facts
- On August 8, 1991, a merchant ship with 18,000 people arrived in Bari from Albania.
- Jasmine Pignatelli created the public sculpture 'Sono Persone 8.8.1991' on the San Girolamo waterfront in Bari.
- The sculpture is in collaboration with Arca Puglia and curated by Stefano Straziota of Cellule Creative, Anna Gambatesa, and Giuseppe Dalfino.
- The work encodes in Morse code the phrase spoken by then-mayor Enrico Dalfino: 'Sono persone, persone disperate. Non possono essere rispedite indietro, noi siamo la loro unica speranza'.
- A twin sculpture will be installed on the Durrës waterfront for the 30th anniversary on August 8, 2021.
- The twin project is in agreement with Durrës mayor Emirjana Sako.
- The sculptures aim to create a 'monumental unicum' symbolically uniting Bari and Durrës.
- Preparations include a program of twin cultural events in both cities dedicated to the arrival of the Vlora.
Entities
Artists
- Jasmine Pignatelli
- Stefano Straziota
- Anna Gambatesa
- Giuseppe Dalfino
- Enrico Dalfino
- Emirjana Sako
Institutions
- Arca Puglia
- Cellule Creative
- Artribune
Locations
- Bari
- Italy
- San Girolamo
- Durazzo
- Durrës
- Albania
- Adriatic
- Mediterranean