L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, MARCH 18, 2021 www.italoamericano.org 26 L'Italo-Americano D ozza Imole- se is a quaint v i l l a g e o f a b o u t 6 0 0 0 , t h a t q u i e t l y sits on the rolling pre-Apen- nine hills outside Bologna. One of FAI's most beautiful borghi, its name may fail to evoke any memory of impor- tant works of art or histori- cal events; but Dozza mana- ged to carve a little space for itself in the book of Italy's memorable places to see, thanks to its many colorful murals. Indeed, it is today considered one of the coun- try's most important centers for "urban art," that is, the type of visual art created on city walls. Dozza's medieval alleys and streets host more that 200 mural art pieces, in a sort of open-air museum that adds colors and charac- ter to the village. D o z z a , a s s a i d , i s o n l y some 25 miles from Bologna, and enjoys a picturesque spot on the hills of Emilia- Romagna. It gets its name f r o m w a t e r . Y e s , w a t e r , because it seems that, once u p o n a t i m e , D o z z a w a s known as Ducia and then more than 200 works, all on t h e w a l l s o f t h e v i l l a g e ' s homes, stores, windows and doors. Murals, architecture and everyday life become a b e a u t i f u l , c o l o r f u l c o n t i - nuum that strikes visitors and enriches the day of resi- dents all year round. In its 61 years of existence, the Biennale del Muro Dipinto welcomed several important n a m e s , i n c l u d i n g B r u n o S a e t t i , R i c c a r d o L i c a t a , S e b a s t i a n M a t t a , N o r m a M a s c e l l a n i a n d R i c c a r d o Schweizer. To be fair, Dozza isn't the o n l y I t a l i a n v i l l a g e t h a t made of open air paintings its claim to fame: there are 93 around the country, all united in the Associazione dei Paesi Dipinti, founded in 1994 to bring together the most colorful villages and towns in Italy. In Dozza, there is no limit to artists' creativity: from abstract paintings to land- scapes, from still lifes to peo- p l e a n d r e a l i s t i c i m a g e s , every subject is welcome. Techniques are also many a n d v a r i e d , a n d i n c l u d e anything from frescoes to bas-reliefs. There is only one rule: artists must discuss their work with those who admire it, they must explain why they chose colors, lines a n d s u b j e c t s , m a k i n g o f Dozza's open air art gallery a very lively and interactive experience. This is why the inception and development of each work of art is just as f a s c i n a t i n g a s t h e w o r k itself: for this reason, origi- nal sketches of each of the murals are visible in Dozza's R o c c a S f o r z e s c a , t h e castle made important by C a t e r i n a S f o r z a a l l t h o s e centuries ago. As a matter of fact, the Rocca Sforzesca is a l s o h o m e t o o t h e r museums, the Museo della Civiltà Contadina, dedica- ted to the history and eco- nomy of Emilia-Romagna, a n d t h e E n o t e c a Regionale dell'Emilia- Romagna, home to more than 200 local wines, spirits and balsamic vinegars. Each biennial has a speci- fic theme, always related to local heritage and territory, as exemplified, for instance, by the many murals dedica- ted to farm life and to socia- lism, which has always been particularly strong in this part of Italy. More recent editions have opened up to t h e w o r l d o f f a n t a s y a n d magic, adding up a pinch of Dutia, which means "doccia" or "shower." A sign of the historical origin of the name is the town's own coat of a r m s , w h i c h s h o w s a d r i n k i n g g r i f f i n . A r c h a e o l o g i c a l f i n d i n g s seem to demonstrate Dozza's earliest human settlement d a t e s b a c k t o t h e B r o n z e Age; then, after years under Celtic, Roman and Barbaric domination, the village final- ly appeared on the map with its modern name around the year 1000. Wine produc- tion made Dozza wealthy and, under the protectorate of Caterina Sforza, the ruler of Imola, its castle was splendidly rebuilt, after suffering from many a mili- tary attack. I n s p i t e o f i t s n a t u r a l b e a u t i e s a n d i n t e r e s t i n g history, Dozza wouldn't have been much different from many other Italian villages, if it weren't for the idea of a group of artists and locals who, in 1960, created the B i e n n a l e d e l M u r o Dipinto (the Biennial of the Painted Wall). Since then, a r t i s t s f r o m a l l o v e r t h e world come to Dozza and add a piece of their art to t h i s i n c r e d i b l e o u t d o o r museum that today counts "supernatural" to Dozza's s t r e e t s . S i n c e 2 0 0 7 , t h e Fondazione Dozza Città d ' A r t e , o r g a n i z e r o f t h e biennial, has extended the event's artistic production to t h e n e a r b y v i l l a g e o f Toscanella, where numerous works of modern street art can be viewed. D o z z a i s a l s o h o m e t o a n o t h e r a r t i s t i c e v e n t , F a n t a s t i k a , a b i e n n i a l dedicated to fantasy illustra- tions. It was born in 2014, with the aim of valorizing t h e w o r k o f " y o u n g adult"literature's illustra- tors. The event finds its roots i n t h e s e m i n a l w o r k s o f J.R.R. Tolkien and is known also for its popular mascot, F y r s t a n t h e D r a g o n . While we still don't know whether the Biennale del Muro Dipinto will take place this year, Fantastika will welcome participants and v i s i t o r s i n D o z z a o n t h e 22nd and 23rd of May, with an edition dedicated to the "heart of the dragon" (Cuore di Drago). In the hope that May will be a freer time for all Italians, we may begin, timidly, but with hope, to p l a n a l i t t l e v i s i t t o t h i s small, beautiful corner of Emilia-Romagna. ALL AROUND ITALY TRAVEL TIPS DESTINATIONS ACTIVITIES CHIARA D'ALESSIO A colorful street in Dozza (Photo: Luca Lorenzelli/Dreamstime) The thousand murals of Dozza

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