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Richard Whincop

British artist does Italian job



A Sussex artist has been commissioned to produce paintings for an Italian city with a view to helping boost tourism.

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Richard Whincop from Lavant has been commissioned by the City Council of Cosenza, which is also funding the project. The original concept came from Franco Fellicetti, a local head teacher, who is co-ordinating the project. “In April I will begin work on five 2 x 3m history paintings in Cosenza, Southern Italy,” says Richard. “The idea is for five established figurative artists to each paint five pictures, which will collectively tell the story of the city of Cosenza. We are each to represent the various powers that ruled Southern Italy at different times, reflecting our own countries of origin: the native Bruzi (John Picking), the Normans (myself), the Swabians (Silvia Pecha), the house of Anjou (Alexandre Barbera Ivanoff) and the house of Aragon (Gregorio Dominguez Gonzales ('Goyo')). So it is an international ensemble of artists. We go to Cosenza on April 12 where we will all paint together for eight weeks in a large school hall, working under our national flags. So we have about 10 days for each painting, which because of the size of the panels and the complexity of the designs means rapid work. It is a considerable challenge, so I am trying to prepare for it very thoroughly.” Richard has already done a considerable amount of research to learn about the architecture, clothing, armour and culture of the Normans, who arrived in Southern Italy in 1019; nearly half a century before they invaded England. They began as hired mercenaries, but soon conquered the southern third of Italy as well as Sicily, and established a wealthy and powerful Kingdom that was renowned throughout Europe. In his painting of the Seige of Cosenza Richard looked at images of Syrian and Palestinian refugees and tried to create a scene that people could identify with, an image of human suffering that could be at any time and place. The pictures will be painted in acrylic on specially prepared fibre glass panels and will be mounted on the side of buildings at first floor level in the old part of the city. They will be arranged in narrative order, so that visitors can follow a walking route that sequentially tells the story of Cosenza. The idea is to create an outdoor historical museum that will help locals to learn about and take pride in their own historical legacy and also encourage foreign tourists to visit Cosenza, to help boost the local economy. The paintings will complement and make reference to the city's architectural legacy - including a medieval hilltop castle and a fine cathedral.


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