KORA Contemporary Art Center Opens in Puglia's Castello di Castrignano
KORA – Centro del Contemporaneo has launched at the Castello di Castrignano (Palazzo de Gualtieris) in Castrignano de' Greci, Lecce province, taking over from Lastation residency. The opening exhibition, titled 'Home Sweet Home,' is curated by Paolo Mele, Alessandra Pioselli, Davide Quadrio, and Claudio Zecchi, showcasing the works of more than 40 artists, including Andrea Anastasio, Yu Araki, and Gianni D’Urso, who produced the featured piece during his time at Lastation. This exhibition will remain open indefinitely as a work-in-progress. KORA's mission is to function as a multidisciplinary hub for residencies, productions, and performances, emphasizing sustained engagement with the local community and innovative cultural models for Puglia.
Key facts
- KORA – Centro del Contemporaneo opens in Castello di Castrignano (Palazzo de Gualtieris), Castrignano de' Greci, Lecce.
- Inaugural exhibition 'Home Sweet Home' curated by Paolo Mele, Alessandra Pioselli, Davide Quadrio, and Claudio Zecchi.
- Exhibition features over 40 artists and collectives including Andrea Anastasio, Yu Araki, Elena Bellantoni, Carlos Casas, Casa a Mare, DAAR, Formafantasma, Fernanda Fragateiro, Ishu Han, Eva Hide, Alfredo Jaar, KairUs, Leticia Lampert, Tatiana Macedo, Elena Mazzi, Neri & Hu, Liliana Ovalle, Parasite 2.0, Jacopo Rinaldi, Emilio Vavarella, Zimmerfrei, and Gianni D’Urso.
- Gianni D’Urso created the work 'Home Sweet Home' during a residency at Lastation's former railway station house in Gagliano del Capo.
- Exhibition has no closing date; it is a research-in-progress with ongoing additions.
- KORA is a multidisciplinary center with residencies, productions, exhibitions, screenings, masterclasses, and musical performances.
- KORA deliberately avoids being labeled a museum, aiming for a broader definition as 'Centro del Contemporaneo.'
- Curator Claudio Zecchi emphasizes a long-term, processual approach and building relationships with the local community.
Entities
Artists
- Andrea Anastasio
- Yu Araki
- Elena Bellantoni
- Carlos Casas
- Casa a Mare
- DAAR (Decolonizing Architecture Art Research)
- Formafantasma
- Fernanda Fragateiro
- Ishu Han
- Eva Hide
- Alfredo Jaar
- KairUs
- Leticia Lampert
- Tatiana Macedo
- Elena Mazzi
- Neri & Hu
- Liliana Ovalle
- Parasite 2.0
- Jacopo Rinaldi
- Emilio Vavarella
- Zimmerfrei
- Gianni D’Urso
- Paolo Mele
- Alessandra Pioselli
- Davide Quadrio
- Claudio Zecchi
- Giuseppe Amedeo Arnesano
Institutions
- KORA – Centro del Contemporaneo
- Lastation
- Castello di Castrignano
- Palazzo de Gualtieris
- Ramdom
- Guilmi Art Project
- A cielo aperto
- Sursock Museum
- Sakya
- Artribune
Locations
- Castrignano de' Greci
- Lecce
- Puglia
- Italy
- Gagliano del Capo
- Guilmi
- Abruzzo
- Latronico
- Basilicata
- Beirut
- Lebanon
- Ramallah
- Palestine
- Salento