Vandalized mural of Tarantina, Naples' most famous trans woman, sparks outrage

A mural of Tarantina (Carmelo Cosma), the most famous transgender woman in Naples, was vandalized in the Quartieri Spagnoli. The portrait, painted by artist Vittorio Valiante on a wall at via Concezione a Montecalvario 26, was defaced with black acrylic paint covering the face, accompanied by the words "NON È NAPOLI" (This is not Naples). The work was created as part of the St.ar.t Street art comunità e territorio event organized by Fondazione Foqus (led by Rachele Furfaro and Renato Quaglia) from February 8-19, 2019. Valiante, a self-described "madonnaro" known for hyperrealistic street portraits on Via Toledo, based the mural on a photo by Renato Esposito. Tarantina, born Carmelo Cosma on March 22, 1936 in Avetrana, is a historic femminiello who fled to Rome in her youth, meeting figures like Fellini, Moravia, Pasolini, and Parise, before returning to Naples. Mayor Luigi De Magistris condemned the act as "indecent and barbaric" and vowed to restore the mural. On February 25, a sit-in protest showed support. The article also draws parallels to a racist graffiti incident in Melegnano, Milan, where vandals wrote "AMMAZZA AL NEGAR" with a swastika targeting a Senegalese boy, which received a controversial response from Minister Matteo Salvini. The broader context discusses street art's vulnerability to hate crimes and the debate over public art's role, questioning whether such murals are meaningful or merely decorative fetishes.