The very first of the murals, called Murales, was drawn in 1968 by the anarchist Milanese group Dioniso in Orgosolo. After seeing the film Banditi a Orgosolo, Francesco del Casino, a drawing teacher from Siena who was close to the Italian Communist Party, settled in Orgosolo and in 1975 began painting pictures on the walls of houses with students in Orgosolo. The occasion was the 30th anniversary of the partisan struggle against fascism. However, the paintings began in Sardinia in the relatively unknown village of San Sperate. The murals in Orgosolo initially expressed protest against the planned NATO troop training area on the Pratobello. The protest is also directed against the heads of the Milan group, who embezzled funds from the development plan for Sardinia. Recent portraits comment z. B. World politics - Helmut Schmidt is called an "expert in state murder" because of Stammheim, a victory of the Cambodian and Vietnamese fighters against the USA on April 25, 1978 is celebrated and the number of innocent victims for the fall of Saddam Hussein is questioned. Other images depict the simple life of shepherds and villagers, advocate the preservation of the Sardinian language or even contain advertising messages. An ironic Murales also makes fun of Alfredo Niceforo's studies on crime in Sardinia (see history). Many of the approximately 120 murals are stylistically based on cubism in the manner of Picasso's Guernica, but there are also more realistic paintings among them. In addition to Francesco del Casino, the self-taught artist Pasquale Buesca, who also lives in Orgosolo, the artists' group "Le Api" and the Milanese artist Massimo Cantoni were responsible for the murals. Despite some damage, for example due to the conversion of houses or the weather, all of the murals are largely in very good condition.
The murals of Orgosolo, each with its own style, tell the story of a territory that has always been active and rebellious intellectually, culturally and politically. In the midst of a lush, untouched nature, this place in the Barbagia provides insights into an old, timeless Sardinia. Wall paintings as far as the eye can see: a walk through the streets is like an unusual, quiet reading, you can almost feel the feelings and moods painted on the stone walls, accompanied by the traditional singing of the tenors. Through the expressive, evocative images, Orgosolo communicates with residents and visitors alike.
The murales are very impressive, both in their variety and in their execution. You should take your time here and take a leisurely stroll through the streets of Orgosolo and not be irritated by the traffic.
Translated by Google •
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