STREET ART IN CATANIA, SIRACUSA AND RAGUSA

Dettaglio

Should graffiti be considered at the same level as modern art? Of course not: they are much more important.

Banksy

Street art or urban art refers to several forms of art realised with different means. Artists can use spray cans or stickers or create video projections or land art sculptures. The common feature of the various techniques is the location. The main requirement for street art is to be realised in a public place. The works are often considered illegal.

In the last few years, the perception of this art form has changed. Institutions and municipalities are demanding these works. They’ve started financing prizes and competitions to realise urban regenerations projects.

Many cities have understood the advantage of hosting works and artists. One of the main urban art promoters is the city of Catania. The town is our first stage in this street art tour.

In Catania, the works are located in various city areas, even very far apart. Some are where redevelopment is most needed, such as the San Teodoro field and the suburban district of Librino. The works you can see in these two locations are created by various internationally renowned artists such as Nemo’s, Collettivo Fx, the Potato Eaters, Bloom, Gue, Res Publica Temporanea, Pao and Anc, Janìe.

Another example is in the city centre, in the famous Ra fera or luni district. It is the Ritmo project. A series of initiatives have been organised thanks to the help of various associations. Since 2010, many artists have arrived in the city, creating a real open-air museum with works by 108, Bartocci, El tono, Microbo, 2501, Gue and many others. The San Berillo district, also in the city centre, has been redeveloped thanks to the works of the artists of Res Publica Temporanea, Poki and Spanky, Gue and Luprete.

The second stop on our tour in the territories of south-eastern urban art is Floridia (SR). In 2017, the Impulsi Urbani project led several cultural events in the city. These included a photo exhibition, theatre and music workshops, sports and street art. Impulsi Urbani activity’s purpose was to regenerate the historical centre and give a new life to abandoned places. In 2018, thanks to the contemporary art exhibition “Abstracta“, a large mural entitled “Archetype – Light Blue” was created. The work is by Ligama, a young artist from Caltagirone.

Let’s head for the island of Ortigia (Syracuse). The world-famous artist Alicé has created some valuable small works. The “Istinto naturale” association financed the project, and today the artworks are on display in Via Roma and Via Landolina. They are on some former advertising panels provided by the municipal administration.

Still in the province of Syracuse, heading south, we stop off at Rosolini. It is where “Street Art Rosolini” was born in 2019. Throughout a 3-day festival, 12 artists created works in the town centre. The artists painted shutters and walls, giving life and colour to the historic centre and underlining the importance of repopulating the town’s meeting places.

We now head northwest and arrive in Ragusa, a must-see destination for street art lovers in Sicily. The renowned Festiwall left an indelible mark here—a public art festival that, over five editions, transformed the city’s urban landscape. Its impact is still clearly visible in the many works scattered across Ragusa Superiore and beyond. National and international artists—including Agostino Iacurci, Gue, Luca Font, Evoca1, Fintan Magee, SatOne, Hyuro, Guido Van Helten, and Zoer—have gifted Ragusa with murals of extraordinary visual power. This artistic legacy continues to attract travelers, photographers, and street art enthusiasts from around the world.

Discover also: Street Art in the Heart of Sicily: from Caltagirone to Agrigento, Street Art in Palermo, A journey into Trapani’s street art, Street Art in Messina.