Acquisition of photographs by Lisetta Carmi

An extraordinary acquisition of photographs by Lisetta Carmi (1924–2022) has enriched the permanent collection of contemporary art of the Museo Civico di Castelbuono (Palermo, Sicily), thanks to the Strategia Fotografia 2024 grant promoted by the Directorate-General for Contemporary Creativity of the Italian Ministry of Culture. The seven works acquired are part of Viaggio in Sicilia (Journey through Sicily), the last photographic project by the renowned Italian photographer, celebrated for her socially engaged photo-reportages from the 1960s and 1970s. The series was originally published in 1977, accompanied by a text by Leonardo Sciascia. With this project, the Sicilian Museum continues its commitment to collecting major bodies of work by contemporary photographers, following acquisitions of works by Letizia Battaglia and Melo Minnella, to whom a dedicated section has been assigned in the museum’s newly redesigned galleries. The photographs by Carmi are featured in the publication Viaggio in Sicilia, curated by Valentina Bruschi and published by Palermo Publishing.

Since 2014, under the directorship of Laura Barreca, the Museo Civico di Castelbuono has been exploring the languages of contemporary art in dialogue with the region’s monumental, artistic and historical heritage. The museum promotes participatory processes open to the community, projects combining art and ecology, artist residencies, public programs, “creative” walks in nature, and even a public garden managed by the museum itself.

The photography section is part of the new installation of the contemporary art galleries, curated by Laura Barreca and Valentina Bruschi, and designed by the architectural firm AM3 Architetti Associati. The installation was conceived according to accessibility and digital innovation standards, with tools for easier reading, high-legibility panels, and QR codes offering multimedia insights—all aimed at making the museum experience more engaging for a wide range of visitors, especially those with specific needs. In this new display, the monumental spaces and historic rooms of the castle are brought into dialogue with paintings, sculptures, installations, videos, and photographs by around 40 artists, including: Salvatore Arancio, Mimmo Cuticchio, Claire Fontaine, Francesco De Grandi, Beatrice Gibson, Loredana Longo, Emiliano Maggi, Mangano & van Rooy, MASBEDO, Concetta Modica, Ignazio Moncada, Ignazio Mortellaro, Olaf Nicolai, Seb Patane, Maria Domenica Rapicavoli, Giulio Squillacciotti, Luca Trevisani, and Driant Zeneli. This initiative is part of a wider program to strengthen the museum’s role as a Mediterranean cultural hub, fostering dialogue between art, memory, and contemporaneity. For years, the museum has been developing a shared cultural narrative grounded in community participation, heritage education, and international collaboration, in line with the principles of the Council of Europe’s Faro Convention (2005) on citizens’ participation in cultural heritage, and with the guidelines of ICOM—the International Council of Museums. In 2020, the Museo Civico di Castelbuono published the Manifesto of Museums of Small Towns and Historic Centers, rethinking the museum as a pedagogical device founded on participation, education, and environmental sustainability, and promoting new relationships between museums and communities.

Until February 2026, visitors can experience Ecosistemi Connessi. Museo e Comunità Post-Varietali, a project by the artist duo Aterraterra (Fabio Aranzulla and Luca Cinquemani), curated by Maria Rosa Sossai and supported by the PAC2024—Contemporary Art Plan, also promoted by the Directorate-General for Contemporary Creativity of the Ministry of Culture.

The Museo Civico di Castelbuono is housed in the Ventimiglia Castle (1317), a medieval fortress located 90 km from Palermo—an extraordinary architectural monument nestled between the Mediterranean Sea and the mountains of the Madonie Natural Park, a UNESCO Global Geopark. The museum preserves rich permanent collections displayed across its sections of Archaeology, Urbanistic, Sacred Art, Contemporary Art—a constantly growing nucleus animated by an experimental spirit and a dynamic program of temporary exhibitions, cultural and educational activities. The Palatine Chapel, known as the Serpotta Chapel (1684), is entirely decorated with white stucco work on a gold background by brothers Giuseppe and Giacomo Serpotta. It features one of the most extraordinary decorative ensembles of Sicilian Baroque, housing the sacred relic of Saint Anne.

For more information: museocivico.eu.