Beauty and Nature, the garden as an art form and a relationship between man and nature – As part of the NRRP-funded project for the recovery and restoration of the English Garden, two study days in Palermo 20 and 21 November 2024
Beauty and Nature, the garden as a form of art and a relationship between man and nature is the title of the two days of study held in Palermo on 20 and 21 November on the subject of the restoration and recovery of the historic Piersanti Mattarella Park ‘English Garden’, financed by the PNRR with the Municipality of Palermo – Area of Environmental Policies Ecological Transition and Regeneration of Green Areas, and in collaboration with the University of Palermo – Department of Agricultural, Food and Forestry Sciences and the International Centre for Research and Training in Intercultural Dialogue (C.R.T.I.D.).
Two appointments were hosted, on 20 November, in the Sala Mattarella – Sala Gialla of Palazzo dei Normanni, seat of the Sicilian Regional Assembly; the second, on the following day, 21 November, in the avenues of the historic English Garden, a landmark of the Sicilian capital.
The history of the English Garden was recounted, analysing the recovery and restoration project conducted under the NRRP Intervention of Restoration and Recovery of the Piersanti Mattarella Historic Park (formerly the English Garden) and the Falcone-Morvillo Parterre (formerly the Garibaldi Garden); Through various scientific contributions, papers were presented by various authors, all specialists in the field, all related to the theme of Beauty that is part of Nature; according to various facets and themes aimed at raising awareness of the value of the garden, in general, as a manifestation of art that takes on the connections established between man and the surrounding environment, and of the English Garden of Palermo itself.
Speakers included the Hon. Vincenzo Figuccia, the councillor for the Area of Environmental Policies Ecological Transition and Regeneration of Green Areas Pietro Alongi and the manager arch. Francesco La Monica.
The conference was moderated by journalist and publisher Carlo Guidotti and featured as speakers arch. Eliana Mauro (The English Garden in Palermo 1851-1853, an urban park for the new city), arch. Loredana Tarallo (NRRP English Garden: A path within the project between history and memory), Prof. Giulio Zennaro (The Humanistic-Renaissance Garden of Love and Friendship), Prof. Michele Di Cintio (For a critical awareness of the human-nature relationship), Prof. Elisabetta Di Stefano (The garden from art to artification. The evolution of an aesthetic experience), Prof. Ferdinando Trapani (Man, landscape and environment: a complex relationship), Dr. Vincenzo Nuccio (The beauty of nature defeated by conflict), Prof. Fabio Peserico (Why search for beauty within and without?).
The aim, as part of the funding received from the NRRP, aim was to raise awareness and involve the students in consolidating their sense of identity, belonging and respect for the English Garden as an integral part of the city’s development for future generations.
On 21 November, the English Garden hosted a meeting with students from the Artistic high school “E. Catalano”, Classical high school “G. Garibaldi”, Classical high school “G. Meli”, all from Palermo, on the theme “An educational historical trail in the Piersanti Mattarella Historical Park – English Garden”.
The President of the 8th District of the Municipality of Palermo Marcello Longo, arch. Eliana Mauro, landscape architect Loredana Tarallo, engineer Roberto Cairone and Dr Rosa Mazzamuto (The importance of places in the local community. The importance of places for the local community. Growing and consolidating the sense of identity, belonging and respect in the sharing of rules) welcomed the students in the English Garden and then started the FABLAB Educational Workshop, The Small Wood Workshop, with the students of the Artistic high school “Eustachio Catalano”, with teachers Prof. Mariano Brusca, Prof. Salvo Messina, Prof. Maria Luisa Scozzola, Prof. Loredana Giordano.