Mimmo Paladino installs permanent sound sculpture in Naples’ Spanish Quarters

On December 15, 2016, Foqus – Fondazione quartieri spagnoli in Naples inaugurated a permanent site-specific work by Mimmo Paladino titled Ho perso il conto. The sound sculpture, curated by Eduardo Cicelyn, incorporates lighting by Cesare Accetta and music by composer Pasquale Scialò. It is a variation on Paladino’s earlier Albero della Cuccagna, previously shown in Lecce for Achille Bonito Oliva. The work was realized with the involvement of young people from Foqus’s disability center, under the supervision of master artisans from the Antica Bottega d’Arte di Giuseppe Tudisco in Nola. The unveiling was part of a three-day program of performances and exhibitions leading up to an Open Day on December 17, showcasing the broader urban regeneration project of the former Istituto Montecalvario, a 10,000 sqm religious complex founded in 1560. Since 2014, Foqus has repurposed the space to foster social entrepreneurship, creating 136 jobs, hosting 22 independent enterprises, and establishing Argo, a center for children with social disabilities in partnership with Ferrarelle Spa and Fondazione con il Sud. Over 400 students from the Accademia delle Belle Arti are also based there. The initiative was led by Foqus president Rachele Furfaro and director Renato Quaglia.