Piana degli Albanesi becomes an open-air museum: murals and sculptures in the Shesi district

Last Updated: September 3, 2023

The Shesi neighborhood in Piana degli Albanesi has been transformed into an outdoor laboratory to host the Bashkeë Urban Art project, aimed at regenerating the territory through urban art. The project, led by Andrea Buglisi, involved Sicilian street artists Angelo Crazyone, Igor Scalisi Palminteri, Sardinian artist Mauro Patta, and sculptors Fausto Guillermo Tabora Garcia and Simone Zanaglia. The goal was for each artist to depict the cultural, historical, and anthropological complexity of one of Italy’s largest and most important Arbëreshë communities in their own artistic styles. The result is a series of murals and sculptures that have revitalized Shesi and made it visually vibrant, potentially attracting economic and tourist interest. Some notable works include a stone sculpture by Honduran artist Fausto Guillermo Tabora Garcia and Simone Zanaglia, and a mural by Andrea Buglisi featuring a magpie stealing a precious Arbëreshë pendant as a gift for its love. The project has successfully brought new life and beauty to the community.