The event offers a unique opportunity for institutions, artists, and the public to come together, addressing the theme of the 2026 edition: “Geographies of Contemporaneity.” It is an exploration of the present as a territory in constant transformation, defined by exchanges, relationships, and new critical perspectives.
Architect Rosario Andrea Cristelli, president of the GALLERIA PROgetto CITTÀ Cultural Association, conceived and curated the project “L’ARTE CHE SI ABITA” (Art You Can Inhabit) for the occasion. He is hosting the initiative in collaboration with Unico Hotel (represented by Dr. Antonino Pietrini and Dr. Federica Sottile of EProjectConsult) and the “D’Alcontres – Balotta” Comprehensive School (led by Principal Dr. Patrizia Italia).
On Saturday, October 10, from 4:00 PM to 9:00 PM, Unico Hotel will open its doors as a dynamic cultural space and a distributed gallery. As part of this urban revitalization effort for Barcellona Pozzo di Gotto, the hotel will display a large photographic canvas—aged and treated with gold leaf—dedicated to Gibellina Nuova (the Italian Capital of Contemporary Art for 2026). The artwork was created by middle school students following a regional project led by expert instructors Rosario Andrea Cristelli, Grazia Dipaola, Rosa Stramandino, and Barbara Maiorana. The canvas symbolizes hope, rebirth, and memory, evoking the visionary utopia of Ludovico Corrao. Unico Hotel unfolds as a permanent, ever-evolving journey through works by various contemporary artists:
Lorenzo Maniscalco – *L’Equazione dell’Amore* (Restaurant/Breakfast Area): A triptych paying homage to artist and mathematician Mariano Pietrini. Flanked by portraits of same-sex kisses constructed upon geometric structures, the work bears the phrase “Error does not exist in the presence of love,” asserting that identity is a living experience rather than a formula.
Andrea Sposari – *Thanasis + Alkmini* (Bar): Two panels dedicated to a love story that began during an Erasmus+ exchange. A yellow thread connects the faces, symbolizing listening and the emergence of new personal geographies.
NessuNettuno – *Trame* (Entrance and stairwell): A site-specific installation featuring organic lines and Mediterranean color palettes. Inspired by the Treaties of Rome, it reimagines Europe as a living organism composed of interconnections and shared paths.
Demetrio Di Grado – *Persistenti Menzogne* (Reception): A large vertical collage featuring masked figures and superimposed words—a reflection on the theater of appearances and the enduring nature of pretense.
The initiative transforms Unico Hotel into an open site of social and cultural engagement, charting a new utopia of hospitality and development for the city of Barcellona Pozzo di Gotto.
