Poets, writers of all time, born and raised in this region – or attracted by this region after having visited it – described and depicted it for better and for worse. According to Bufalino, there is a “babba” Sicily, that is to say gentle, and a “sperta” one, namely astute… a lazy and chaotic one. According to Leonardo Sciascia, the entire island of Sicily is an imaginary dimension. How can you live there without imagination?
While Sicily has manifold aspects, shades and contradictions, some people have the intense wish to turn this region “Felicissima” (Very happy). A strong ambition that, despite what Sciascia thought, you can also realise rather than just imagine. Such wish is the prerequisite of the Sicilia Felicissima contest promoted by Abadir, the Academy of Design and Visual Arts, Aiap (Italian Association Design of Visual Communication) and Caffè Moak. The contest is at its first edition and wants to award and highlight those Sicilian realities that enhance tangible and intangible resources of our region and start planning locally; we are talking about companies, young people, communities and public and private institutions that run new processes and new activities and put them into effect, and thus become roots and incubators of a possible future. In such scenario, the role of designers can definitely be considerable. Especially the design of visual communication can become an essential tool for Sicily, for the development of its cultural institutions, its tourism, its businesses and its artisanship.
The projects presented by December 30th (deadline of the announcement) are already being examined by a panel of judges consisting of nine renowned persons that are part of the world of communication and design: Vincenzo Castellana (architect and professor of Design System), Paolo Di Vita (Graphic designer, Palermo), Cinzia Ferrara (President of AIAP, Palermo), Giuseppe La Spada (Art director, Milan), Paola Nicita (Art historian, Palermo), Vanni Pasca (Scientific director of Abadir, Milan), Rodrigo Rodriquez (President Material Connexion, Milan), Leonardo Sonnoli (Graphic designer, Ravenna), Annalisa Spadola (Marketing Director of Moak, Modica). The awarded and selected projects will be published in a catalogue, besides being exposed in a travelling exhibit dedicated to the contest.
“We welcomed the invitation of Abadir and Aiap to promote a contest with the aim to award the best graphic works made by Sicilian companies or designers with great enthusiasm – explains Annalisa Spadola, Marketing Director of Moak and member of the panel Sicilia Felicissima. Sicily is a region where communication, considering its literal meaning, is certainly more difficult, and where it is harder to externalise correct information; however, it is also true that a good part of Sicily works well and everyone should do his/her part in order to show it. The name Sicilia Felicissima summarises such wish, while the graphic work created by for[me]moak represents a stylised eye with a tear. Sicily is like a mosaic – she finishes – with tiles of good things and not so good things, and tears can mean joy or sorrow somehow. Our wish is that the present Sicily, as well as those supporting the region, only shed tears of joy”.
