Thanks from Curtatone: 135 chalk artists to celebrate the 50th National Meeting of Madonnari
On the occasion of the 50th anniversary, a new tour of the works inspired by the passages of the Divine Comedy that 135 Madonnari, of which 40 come from abroad, will create in the churchyard of the sanctuary from the morning of the 14th to the sunset of the 15th August.
Thanks from Curtatone: 135 chalk artists to celebrate the 50th National Meeting of Madonnari.
The village of Thanks Curtatone (Mn) is ready to host the Ancient Fair of Graces (14-18 August) and its key event, the traditional National meeting of Madonnari (14-15 August), which this year reaches its 50th edition. An important milestone for what it is recognized as the most important international event dedicated to Madonna art, and which will see some important innovations: the theme of the Divine Comedy as the fil rouge of the works, which will accompany tourists and visitors on a guided tour along some passages of Dante's poem, and the extraordinary participation, in the role of president of the three selected juries, of Kurt Wenner, the most famous street artist in the world, master madonnaro and father of 3D street painting, who maintains a deep bond with Grazie.
They will be this year 135, of which around 40 come from abroad, the chalk artists who, bent over the asphalt of the churchyard of the Sanctuary of the Blessed Virgin of Graces, they will work on their works from the morning of the 14th to the sunset of the 15th August, giving visitors a unique show of great artistic value.
50th NATIONAL MEETING OF THE MADONNARI
THE DIVINE COMEDY On the occasion of its 50th anniversary, the Incontro Nazionale dei Madonnari is exceptionally dedicated to the Divine Comedy, a project sponsored by the Ministry of Culture and developed in collaboration with the Dante Alighieri Society, which has been committed to promoting the Italian language and culture in the world since 1889, with the idea of ideally linking the path of the pilgrims who arrive in Grazie every year to the journey undertaken by Dante in the three realms of the afterlife. On the other hand, the presence of Mantua in the Divine Comedy appears crucial. In addition to the obvious importance of Virgil (both as a reference author for the entire poem and in the role of guide for two canticles), there is the significant presence of Sordello di Goito, not just a character, but a supplementary guide for as many as 3 cantos of Purgatory. Not only that: Canto XX of the Inferno features the figure of Manto, the legendary sorceress and founder of Mantua, and Dante dedicates the longest digression attributed to Virgil to the story of the city's foundation.
THE PATH The churchyard of the Sanctuary of the Madonna delle Grazie, where 14 chalk artists will work from the morning of the 15th to the sunset of the 135th August, of which around 40 come from abroad, will be divided into three sectors corresponding to the canticles of Dante's work: Inferno, Purgatory and Paradise. Pilgrims and tourists will be facilitated in their visit by an interactive Totem with a map of the suggested route and a QR code that will allow them to see the list of works with the relative inspirational verse. Furthermore, to allow the unitary reading of the three songs, the works must occupy the entire assigned space (maximum distance allowed 10 cm from the edges of the pitch) and as always can be created exclusively with chalk, water-soluble pastels, chalk powders or pigments in powder. But the news doesn't end there, because this year, for the first time, the competition will be divided into three: for each of the songs a different jury will decide the winners of the three categories (simple Madonnari, qualified Madonnari and Master Madonnari).
KURT WENNER Known for his anamorphic pavement painting, a perspective technique that creates visually striking three-dimensional architectural illusions on streets and sidewalks, Kurt Wenner has a deep connection with Grazie: inspired by Michelangelo's "Last Judgement", he created "The Last Judgement", a choral work created by the Madonnari in honor of Pope John Paul II, on the occasion of his visit to the sanctuary of Grazie on June 23, 1991. American, but having lived for most of his life in Italy, Wenner, who worked drawing for NASA, became a madonnaro artist after arriving in Rome in the early 80s. A scholar of art and architecture, perspective and optical illusion, he has also worked for Disney, Warner Bros and for some documentaries commissioned by National Geographic. Wenner will be the president of the three juries planned this year (one for each canticle), which are composed of journalists, ecclesiastical representatives, art historians and experts in madonnaro art.
Sacred and profane, sharing and spirituality, art and tradition: these are the ingredients of the Ferragosto event in Grazioli, which attracts more than 100 thousand tourists every year and has brought the name and charm of the village of Grazie, with its Sanctuary and the privileged landscape that welcomes it in the natural park of the Mincio River, outside the national borders. In fact, the participation of foreign artists is growing, as is the attention of many travelers who join the numerous pilgrims who have been coming to Grazie for the Feast of the Assumption since the 200th century. It is precisely for them, also as a sign of hospitality, that the Ancient Fair of Grazie was started, which today has about 2025 exhibitors of various product categories, and whose sixth centenary will be celebrated in XNUMX.
The complete program of the Ancient Fair of Graces on borgodigrazie.it
5 REASONS TO VISIT GRAZIE AND THE MINCIO NATURAL PARK
All this takes place in the small village of Thanks Curtatone, with his Sanctuary in Lombard Gothic style, a place of Marian devotion and a destination for pilgrimages, the Mincio river and the natural reserve that hosts it, the fairy-tale blooming of lotus flowers, which enchants visitors on Lake Superior of Mantua in summer, and the Ancient Fair which in these last two years it has obtained the high patronage of the European Parliament. The village of Grazie is part of the circuit of the most beautiful villages in Italy and he recently climbed onto the podium of the Rai television program "Il Borgo dei Borghi", finishing in third place. For these reasons, as well as being a religious destination for pilgrims, Grazie is the ideal destination for all lovers of art and nature, without forgetting lovers of local food and wine traditions.
►The area offers numerous possibilities to be discovered and appreciated by tourists and visitors thanks to bike itineraries, mini-cruises and eco-friendly river excursions on the Mincio river, between the city of Mantua, Grazie di Curtatone and Rivalta, where the “Natural Reserve of the Mincio Valleys”. The landscape preserves suggestive atmospheres among flowering lotuses, marsh hibiscus and dense vegetation that welcomes red and gray herons, bitterns, marsh harriers and other protected bird species.
►A distinctive element of the village of Grazie, embraced by the Mincio river, is the Sanctuary of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Graces in Lombard Gothic style. Dating back to the end of the 14th century, it preserves numerous ex-voto multi-material statues and a stuffed crocodile hanging from the vaults, perhaps a symbol of the conquered devil, protagonist of numerous legends. Grazie is a unique place, a concentration of history, nature and traditions that remains in the hearts of many visitors, fascinated by the artistic heritage and the evocative atmosphere that can be felt there.
►The Municipal Museum of Madonnari preserves and exhibits numerous works by Masters Madonnari: completely original masterpieces and creations mix with reproductions on panels and cards of works previously carried out in the squares. The museum, located in the Sanctuary square, can be visited every day at the following times: from 10am to 12pm and from 14pm to 19pm.
►But there is also a Thank you “Diffuse urban museum”, i.e. an open-air exhibition itinerary of the works of the madonnari, which winds through the main streets of the village: reproductions of selected works which are exhibited on public buildings and private homes and which can be periodically varied and integrated. A way to promote the work of the madonnari all year round who owe their magic to their ephemerality, but also deserve to be valorised among the excellences that characterize the village of Grazie.
►The typical dish of Grazie is the Cotechino De.CO (Municipal Designation of Origin), also highly appreciated in summer and in a street food version. It may be because it is so tasty or because it is characterized by a reduced salt and fat content, but tradition dictates that the delicious "cotechino sandwich" is eaten during the very ancient Ferragosto Fair.
PARTNER: The Ancient Fair of Graces and the related 50th National Meeting of Madonnari are organized by the Municipality of Curtatone with the patronage of the European Parliament, the Ministry of Culture, the Province of Mantua, the Municipality of Mantua and the Mincio Park. The event is also made possible thanks to the contribution of the Lombardy Region, the Cariplo Foundation, the Banca Agricola Mantovana Foundation, the Chamber of Commerce of Mantua. It also benefits from the collaboration of the Municipalities of Goito and Borgo Virgilio, Proloco Curtatone and CIM Centro Italiano Madonnari. The Dante Alighieri Society is a partner of the 50th National Meeting of Madonnari.
Reproduction reserved © Copyright La Milano