Magnificent Parthenope!

Written and photos by Luigia Martelloni.

My artist residency in Napoli began with the fascinating legend of Parthenope, the siren goddess who gave the city its name Citta’ Partenopea. I was also drawn to the intriguing story of the magician poet Virgilio and the mystery of Castel dell’Ovo, whose name is derived from an egg hidden deep within the castle, believed to keep Napoli alive.

I started my exploration from the beautiful hills of Posillipo and ventured towards the historical foundations of the city, walking through its streets with curiosity to uncover the many treasures of Naples.

It became an endless exploration, where every square, street, alley, monument, and church revealed a fascinating mix of old and new cultural connections and historical layers. I was captivated by the city breathtaking views, which inspired me to continue my adventures to Napoli, uncovering historical and cultural stratifications influenced by Magna Graecia and various dominations that have left their mark: Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, Normans, Angevins, Aragonese, Ghibellines, and Bourbons. Each layer tells stories of myths, tragedies, magic, superstition, secrets, and philosophy.

Goethe, in his Journey to Italy, wrote that Napoli provided him with some of the strongest sensations of his entire trip, famously saying “See Naples and then die”. Like Goethe, I too felt completely enveloped by this city.

My journey through Naples felt like being inside a city of contradictions and mysteries, balancing the sacred and the profane, a place of rich in beauty, culture, history, immigration and magic. Sometimes it appears messy, but also rich and shining. The streets, the sounds around me reflect a city that faced tragedy and poverty with humor, finding solutions with simple philosophy and genius. It is a city full of life, with its vibrant neighborhoods, the voices of its people, cheerful, passionate, funny and loudly, its once-poor vicoli, now itineraries full of stories to tell. Perhaps it is the sun, the sea, the Vesuvio, the music, the colors, the sounds, the flavors, the unique dialect, the traditions, and the sense of sharing that define Napoli. The city has soul, and its inhabitants are always ready to help, offering warmth, jokes, and pleasure. Throughout my residency, I documented my journey by photographing and visiting various sites: museums, galleries, artists studios, churches, castles, Greco-Roman excavations, neighborhoods, and art-metro stations.

I explored iconic locations such as the Mann Museum, the historic center of Spaccanapoli, the Spanish Quarters, Pignasecca, Chiaia, Vomero, Certosa San Martino, Castel Sant’Elmo, Pizzofalcone, Mergellina, Madre museum, the Reggia di Portici, Posillipo. What drew me closer to the heart of the city were the people, their deep sense of humanity, their kindness, generosity, and the warmth they exude on the streets and open markets. I was interested in the feeling and emotions.

I had interesting conversations with Aldo Vucai, Maestro d’Arte Presepiale (master of nativity scenes) at Via San Gregorio Armeno, where he works in his workshop, creating nativity scenes and figurines with great skills. He explained how the craft has been passed down through generations. A skillet humble man, rich in stories and anecdotes.

I will never forget one rainy night after visiting the San Lorenzo Maggiore church. Soaked and unable to see clearly, I encountered a taxi driver named Gianluca who had just finished his shift. Despite his end of work day, he wouldn't leave me stranded. He let me in the cab, driving me home to my residency in Posillipo. While driving, he shared stories of Napoli, music, comedies, food, street cultures, humorous anecdotes. His famous grandmother’s meatball recipe, the Neapolitan cuisine born out of poverty during the war and made from humble ingredients. He spoke of the Neapolitan dialect, the importance of family and friendship that never died, the way of life where working to living is the norm, not the opposite. Even if it’s raining, in Naples, is a beautiful day, he said, a sentiment that captures the spirit of Napoli and Italy.

We also talked about films shots in the city and its famous figures like Toto’, the theater of Eduardo de Filippo, Sophia Loren, Vittorio De Sica, Pino Daniele, Massimo Troisi, and many others who represent the beauty, joy and laughter, melancholy of the city. It is a place that inspires artistic and passionate ways of being, uniquely Neapolitan.

Poets and writers who came to Napoli, inspired by its beauty and energy, like Virgilio, Sartre, Wilde, Dostoevsky, Leopardi, Stendhal, Goethe and many others. They all admired the unique temperament of the Neapolitan people, living fully in the present moment.

My photographic works are a representation of the city, featuring Virgilio, Parthenope, Aphrodite, Caravaggio, the Sebeto River, Castel dell’Ovo, the excavations at San Lorenzo Maggiore and the street’s life. These pieces explore myths, legends, ancient stories, and the magical, rich history of the city, all with a touch of irony, just as Napoli itself does.

I explored the connection between ancient and modern Napoli by layering images of Virgilio and the cobblestones (basoli napoletani) with the striking art of the modern metro. The ancient Fountain of the Spinacorona (fontana delle zizze) Parthenope with water emerging from her breasts softens the fire of Vesuvio, overlaps with the image of Monte Echia, where she rests in peace. I also portrayed her playfully on a funky wall. I placed the story of Aphrodite’s birth from the sea foam ironically surrendered by sunflowers. I depicted Marianna, “A Capa de Napoli ” with fruit on her head on tufo stone to symbolize the first Neapolitan market.

I also created a photograph featuring Eduardo and Toto’ at Galleria Umberto I, using their iconic images as a security camera. Caravaggio, at Pio Monte della Misericordia, was depicted holding a banner welcoming tourists, infusing the work with humor and irony.

One of highlight it was photographing Robert Wilson’s artwork at the Toledo metro station and layering it with the image of Virgilio and the cobblestones. This piece symbolized Napoli historical pillars while looking toward the future, much like the fast-moving metro that constantly progresses forward.

Exploring the excavations at the Basilica of San Lorenzo Maggiore, subtly referencing Maradona/San Gennaro icons that have shaped modern Napoli, blending the ancient history and contemporary identities.

At the end of my residency, I created two frottages one directly on the cobblestones (basoli napoletani), symbolizing the volcanic stone of Vesuvio that paves the city’s streets, and the other on the tufo walls of Napoli.

I also created a large piece resembling a scroll, which descended from the wall to the floor, encapsulating everything in Napoli: myths, rituals, characters, places, superstitions, fantasies, comedy, music, poetry, humanity, art, all combined in one visual narrative (Napule Tu Si’ Na Cosa Grande). This piece could serve as a banner and/or invitations for our “Occhi sulla Citta` exhibition.

Napoli is both timeless and futuristic, ever-changing, a city full of stories, creative energy, culture and soul.

Napoli is a woman, immortal like Parthenope.