Pizzo Sella Art Village: Street Artists Denounced for Murals on Mafia-Built Villas
On May 16, 2016, authorities apprehended eleven street artists who were painting murals in two villas located within the Pizzo Sella Art Village in Palermo, an illicit open-air museum established by Cosa Nostra during the 1970s. The artists were charged with vandalism for their work on confiscated property. Founded in 2013, the collective Fare Ala advocates for local artists. The site, developed by the family of Michele Greco, was seized in 2001, yet no demolitions have taken place. A court decision in 2015 returned properties to good faith purchasers, making the municipality responsible for compensation. Previous initiatives addressing incomplete structures include Alterazioni Video's "Incompiuto Siciliano" (2010) and a competition in 2007 won by Paolo Venturella and others.
Key facts
- Eleven street artists were denounced by police on May 16, 2016, for painting murals in two villas of Pizzo Sella Art Village.
- The artists were charged with vandalism on seized property.
- Pizzo Sella is a hill in Palermo with 170 illegally built villas constructed by Cosa Nostra in the 1970s.
- The villas were built by the family of boss Michele Greco through the company Sicilcalce, owned by his sister Rosa Greco.
- In 2001, the Court of Cassation ordered confiscation and demolition, but no demolitions occurred.
- In October 2015, a final ruling returned the properties to owners who bought in good faith, making the municipality liable for compensation.
- The collective Fare Ala founded Pizzo Sella Art Village in 2013 as an open-air museum on five seized villas.
- Previous artists involved include Nemo's, Collettivo FX, I mangiatori di patate, and Ema Jhons.
- In 2007, the Order of Architects of Palermo held a competition for requalification, won by a team including Paolo Venturella, Rita De Simone, Leonarda Chirco, Emanuele Guglielmi, Roberto Biondo, and Domenico Arrostuto.
- The collective Alterazioni Video created the project 'Incompiuto Siciliano' in 2010 about unfinished buildings in Sicily.
Entities
Artists
- Nemo's
- Collettivo FX
- I mangiatori di patate
- Ema Jhons
- Mimmo Rubino
- Angelo Sabatiello
- Helga Marsala
- Michele Greco
- Rosa Greco
- Andrea Notaro
- Paolo Venturella
- Rita De Simone
- Leonarda Chirco
- Emanuele Guglielmi
- Roberto Biondo
- Domenico Arrostuto
- Roberto Romano
Institutions
- Fare Ala
- Alterazioni Video
- Ordine degli Architetti di Palermo
- Comune di Palermo
- Carabinieri
- Corte di Cassazione
- Sicilcalce
- Cosa Nostra
- Artribune
Locations
- Pizzo Sella
- Palermo
- Italy
- Mondello
- Conca d'Oro
- Capo Gallo
- Sicily
- Rome
- Corviale