Pietro Marino's 'Taranto, il mare e la cenere' Chronicles 50 Years of Art and Industry

Pietro Marino, a 93-year-old art historian and journalist, has published 'Taranto, il mare e la cenere. Arte e istituzioni 1970-2023' (Gangemi), a comprehensive study of contemporary art in Taranto, Italy. The book, produced by the Accademia di Belle Arti di Bari, traces the city's artistic evolution from the 1970s to 2023, examining the interplay between art, institutions, politics, and the steel industry (formerly Ilva). Marino interviewed artists including Cristiano De Gaetano, Alessandro Bulgini, and the late writer Alessandro Leogrande (died 2017). The launch event is scheduled for Tuesday, October 22, 2024, at 5:30 PM at the Biblioteca metropolitana di Bari De Gemmis. The book is part of a series that began with Marino's 2021 'Diari dell’arte Levante. Bari 1960-1980'. Marino, a former professor at the Accademia di Belle Arti di Bari and longtime contributor to La Gazzetta del Mezzogiorno, emphasizes the city's transformation from a vibrant cultural hub to one scarred by industrial decline. Key figures highlighted include critic Franco Sossi, artists Nicola Carrino, Vittorio Del Piano, Giulio De Mitri, and collector Lidia Carrieri. The book also covers initiatives in Martina Franca, Massafra, and Grottaglie.