Luca Barcellona brings calligraphy to Fratta's walls

Calligrapher Luca Barcellona will paint murals in Fratta, a hamlet of Tarzo in the Prosecco hills, on May 19–20, 2023, as part of the project 'Cortili Frattali. Il borgo aumentato sul lago.' The artist, born in Milan in 1978, will transform houses into a natural theater with texts that serve as captions to the landscape, blending street art with popular sayings. Barcellona previously executed similar interventions in Rome (2010), Prague and Spoleto (2012). In an interview, he discusses the relationship between writing and urban art, distinguishing his calligraphic approach from figurative street art. He reflects on the social dimension of graffiti, noting how messages become communal property, and critiques the invasive nature of large-scale murals. Barcellona's recent exhibition 'Lost in Strokes' featured large paintings with cut margins to force viewers to focus on strokes rather than readability. He advocates for preserving handwriting in schools as a hand-brain connection, though he acknowledges it may become a niche subject. The event is organized by Artribune.