Vans and Spazionoto Celebrate LGBTQIA+ Community in Noto

On July 2, 2022, Spazionoto in Noto, Sicily, unveiled the OTW Pride Gallery Collection, a collaboration with Vans, featuring the photography of Sara Lorusso. This project, called Together as Ourselves, includes works from Lorusso and others like Cori Amenta, Pedro Almodóvar, and Francesco Ardini. Lorusso’s art explores the intricacies of gender identity. Vans, part of VF Corporation, which owns brands like North Face and Supreme, has a presence in 97 countries with 2,000 stores. Founded by Paolo Perelli, Spazionoto stands out in Italy for its dedication to queer art. Perelli, an artist from Ravenna, has previously curated events in North Africa and recently settled in Sicily after five years in Moscow. The gallery has drawn attention from figures like photographer Mario Testino and Beppe Sala, the mayor of Milan. Perelli aims to promote queer artists to foster a broader connection with the community. Noto has seen a tourism boom, partly due to its beautiful Baroque architecture and beaches, with Spazionoto significantly enriching the area's cultural scene.