Luca Vitone's Sailing Voyage to Napoleon's Exile Island Saint Helena
On Saturday, July 4, 2026, at 02:30, artist Luca Vitone reached Saint Helena, the island where Napoleon Bonaparte was exiled. The crew explored the verdant, beachless terrain, starting in Jamestown, the capital. After an 8-kilometer trek along Main Street, they arrived at Longwood, Napoleon's former home. Boat issues caused delays as they awaited a replacement part from South Africa. During their stay, they engaged with local customs and included sound engineer Alessandro, who later returned to Johannesburg, along with companions Bruno, Pietro, and Elvio. They filmed at the Longwood museum and recreated Napoleon's arrival, with support from the Ministero della Cultura and Fondazione Oelle, linking to Vitone's previous work, including a tribute to Jacques Paganel in 1996.
Key facts
- Luca Vitone arrived at Saint Helena on July 4, 2026, at 02:30.
- The island has no beaches, only high sea stacks, and is lush.
- Jamestown, the capital, has one main street, two parallel streets, and a few cross streets.
- Napoleon's residence Longwood is about 8 kilometers from Jamestown.
- The crew was delayed due to boat problems and waited for a spare part from South Africa.
- The island's population is about 4,000, and locals greet continuously and use first names only.
- The voyage was supported by Ministero della Cultura and Fondazione Oelle.
- The ninth and final message bottle was launched during the re-staged arrival.
- Vitone's 1996 work 'Omaggio a Jacques Paganel' involved a tattoo of the coordinates of his birthplace.
- The project is documented in a series of articles on Artribune.
Entities
Artists
- Luca Vitone
- Napoleone Buonaparte
- Jules Verne
- Jacques Paganel
Institutions
- Ministero della Cultura
- Fondazione Oelle
- Artribune
- Galliera Hospital
- Ospedale Galliera
Locations
- Saint Helena
- Jamestown
- Longwood
- Genoa
- Italy
- Johannesburg
- South Africa