Sgarbi Attacks Wind Turbines as 'Mafia Destruction' of Sicilian Landscape

On July 24, 2018, Vittorio Sgarbi testified before joint Culture Committees of Italy's Chamber and Senate, urging Minister of Cultural Heritage Alberto Bonisoli to prioritize landscape protection, superintendencies, and the Franceschini reform. Sgarbi condemned wind turbines as a 'mafia destruction' of southern Italian landscapes, particularly in Sicily, Puglia, Calabria, Campania, and Molise, accusing the state of complicity through green economy incentives. He invoked aesthetic philosophers Cesare Brandi and Rosario Assunto. The article, written by an author who previously dismissed Sgarbi's crusade as eccentric, now concedes his concerns have merit beyond aesthetics, citing concrete damage from concrete foundations and access roads. Sgarbi specifically denounced turbines near Buccheri and Floresta in Sicily. The piece contrasts Sgarbi with artist Gian Maria Tosatti, whose Catania exhibition 'Il mio cuore è vuoto come uno specchio' similarly critiques Italy's lack of national vision. Sgarbi has been a vocal opponent of wind power for over a decade, clashing with Adriano Celentano and former Puglia governor Nichi Vendola.