The Egg Journal: New Bilingual Magazine Launches in Puglia

The Egg Journal is a new semestral print magazine founded by gallerist and curator Pasquale Leccese, Claudia Celani, and Franco Chiarpei. Based in Cisternino, Puglia, the publication explores the region through the perspectives of international intellectuals, artists, and musicians who have settled there. Leccese, a native of Puglia who returned after a cultural migration, describes these expatriates as 'human capital' who transformed the area into a literary café. The magazine's manifesto, written by Chiarpei, notes that since the 1970s, Puglia has attracted a constellation of extraordinary figures from diverse backgrounds, creating a fluid community. The idea originated during a dinner conversation between Leccese and Celani, leading to the founding of the association 'Puglia plurale'. Each issue features writings by Italian and foreign intellectuals and artists, published in their original languages with Italian and English translations accessible via QR codes. A regular column by Leccese profiles art-world figures like Marlene Dumas. Printed in a limited edition (initially 500 copies, later 1,000), the magazine is distributed in Puglia at newsstands and shops. The first issue will be presented on August 20, 2021, at 8:00 PM at the Biblioteca Bernardini in Lecce as part of Extra Convitto. Leccese describes the project as 'rather countercurrent' in an era dominated by social media.