New Space cijaru Opens in Otranto with Maria D. Rapicavoli Solo Show

On June 26, 2020, cijaru, a new art project based in Puglia, inaugurated its first exhibition at the Torre Matta in Otranto. Founded by Francesco Scasciamacchia and Davide De Notarpietro, cijaru takes its name from the Salento dialect term for the area around an olive tree where olives fall, also meaning 'edge' or 'border' in Latin. The founders aim to merge contemporary art with local history, traditions, and post-colonial perspectives linking Puglia to the Mediterranean, Africa, and the Middle East. The inaugural show features artist Maria D. Rapicavoli, whose research-based project explores Otranto's cross-border maritime routes through materials like bauxite, Lecce stone, terracotta, and papier-mâché. cijaru operates without a permanent exhibition space, using a local Pro Loco office for research, and plans site-specific projects, urban redevelopment in the Salento hinterland in collaboration with the collective a.titolo, and socially engaged art. The founders emphasize a 'travelling workshop' model, inviting artists to explore the region. Scasciamacchia, who previously worked at Museo Jumex in Mexico and as assistant professor at Universidad de las Américas Puebla, returned to Puglia during the pandemic, reflecting on the need for support structures in art post-Covid.