The effects of climate change and global warming are increasingly visible to everyone. The devastating fires that affected Sicily this summer may be the most clear example of this. Palermo-based artist Igor Scalisi Palmintieri shows how art can be a means to raise awareness about these catastrophic events. Fires and climate change are the main topics of his murals known as “The Triptych of Hope“. Let’s discover them together!
The Murals of Monreale
“After the fires that took place last summer, which impacted me a lot, I thought about telling everyone what’s going on in our territory” – the artist explains. With this in mind, the street artist Igor Scalisi Palmintieri, who is well-known in Palermo for his artistic and social commitment, decided to create “The Triptych of Hope”.
The artwork consist of three vibrant murals located in three different hamlets of the municipality of Monreale (Pioppo, Aquino and Grisì), which have in common the themes of fire and hope. Using the author’s words: “Men have disappeared, only the damaged nature remains. However, Mother Earth is still there, giving us hope“.
Palmintieri reveals that he has freely drawn inspiration from the mosaics of the Monreale Cathedral. However, he used different interpretation keys. As a matter of fact, the ark represents the Church in the Cathedral’s mosaics, while in “The Triptych of Hope” it becomes a symbol of the Community understood as dwelling, as “protection, like the houses that burned last summer“.
Art as a Way to Raise Awareness
The key element of the artwork is hope, as suggested by its title. In fact, even though at first glance it might convey an apocalyptic perspective, it carries a profound message of trust, which necessarily involves raising awareness about these crucial and current issues.
Through the creation of “The Triptych of Hope”, Palmintieri aims to make people reflect on the consequences of climate change and global warming. As a matter of fact, in addition to the presence of fire, which represents the devastating fires that have ravaged the island, the theme of water is also recurrent, indirectly alluding to glacier melting.
The sensitivity and growing awareness of environmental issues are first and foremost demonstrated by the municipality of Monreale itself. It was indeed the residents who commissioned this project through Participatory Democracy tools.
It is an extremely important action that sends a message of hope, especially for young people. In fact, through his work, Palmintieri expresses his closeness to future generations.
“The Triptych of Hope” is a concrete example of how art can be an extremely powerful tool for reflection. In other words, it shows that the path of awareness is the right way to inspire communities and future generations to protect our planet.
