From Orgosolo to Pula on the streets of murals

If there is a Sardinian capital of murals, without a doubt, it is Orgosolo. Small-large country full of contrasts: images with strong or delicate flavors, with bright or soft and gaudy colors. At least 150 works can be seen en plein air in the center of Barbagia, a unique heritage of rare beauty both for social and political content and for stylistic refinement. And it is with the walls of Orgolese houses that the sixth volume of the “Murales di Sardegna” series opens, on newsstands tomorrow with L'Unione Sarda at the price of € 8.50 plus the cost of the newspaper.

The subsequent stages in the pages of the sixth volume touch Oristano, Orotelli, Orroli, Orune, Oschiri, Osini, Ossi, Ottana, Ozieri, Pabillonis, Palau, Paulilatino, Perdasdefogu, Pimentel, Ploaghe, Posada and Pula.

Rare beauty

«Traveling throughout Sardinia in the incessant and almost frantic search for these works of art», says the curator of the “Murales di Sardegna” series, Gianni Sirigu, «allowed me to come into contact with an artistic and cultural reality of rare beauty, which has enriched and increased not only my technical competence in this specific sector, but also my knowledge, further strengthening my attachment to this wonderful land that is our Sardinia. It was particularly exciting to walk the streets and alleys in the various inhabited centers I visited and discover the murals almost by chance, sometimes thinking that I was really in front of the people or objects depicted, given the perfection of the works». With the necklace of L'Unione Sarda you can relive the same emotions.

The stages

And if Orgosolo represents the Orthodox tradition of murals, modernity reigns in Oristano. Instead, the focus is on the narration of local history in Orotelli. The oldest traditions are represented in Orroli and Oruno. In the historical center of Oschiri classical themes are painted with more contemporary boldness. Osini, inhabited since the dawn of time, fixes the memory on the walls. Ossi illustrates the values of agro-pastoral work. The carnival masks stand out hieratically on the facades of Ottana. While Ozieri, a rich country, shows opulence even in this artistic form. Pabillonis excites with scenes of daily life and hyper-realistic faces. Palau, a sought-after tourist destination, lets us discover murals in bright and vivid colours. Muralism takes its first steps in the town of Paulilatino, and has so much to tell and discover.

Perdasdefogu land of centenarians and (former) military bases immortalises modern and older stories. Always with a hope for the future. Pimentel, in Trexenta, ranges in genres and contents. Ploaghe is lively, and some murals tell of the candlesticks to also testify to its historical and artistic heritage.

The brightly colored nature, with blue and green tones, conquers the walls of Posada. Pula, a seaside place, amazes for the murals dedicated to the historical figures of our time: Falcone and Borsellino, Aldo Moro. And finally, the exaltation of sport.

(gi.fo.)