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Divertimento - The invisible circus
DIVERTIMENTO was born in Gratteri as an artistic and documentary project dedicated to one of the most pressing issues facing rural areas today: depopulation.
Conceived by Italian-French artist and designer Stefano Alaimo and promoted by the cultural association Grattaluci Si Diventa, the project uses contemporary art as a tool for research, encounter and collective imagination. Its aim is not only to explore what a village loses when its population declines, but also what it may still be capable of generating.
DIVERTIMENTO was born in Gratteri as an artistic and documentary project dedicated to one of the most pressing issues facing rural areas today: depopulation. ing testimonies, creating portraits and documenting everyday life in the village. This work resulted in an archive of interviews, a series of photographic portraits of local residents and the first footage for a documentary film currently in production.
More than statistics or demographic data, the research revealed a strong desire for attention, listening and human connection, offering a complex and vibrant portrait of the community.
In 2026, the project enters its artistic production phase.
Under the title Divertimento – The Invisible Circus, Gratteri will host a new international residency involving Stefano Alaimo, Katarina Schröter and French-American artist Juliette Somnolet. The artists will live and work in the village, developing artworks and interventions shaped through direct dialogue with local residents.
The documentary film will continue the story that began in 2025, while Juliette Somnolet will create a participatory artwork dedicated to the hopes and aspirations that the people of Gratteri hold for the future of their village: a collective sculpture composed of hundreds of small clay amulets, individually crafted and dedicated by the residents themselves.
Divertimento is neither an exhibition nor a conventional artist residency.
It is an open-ended process that brings together people, stories, memories and imaginaries. Through interviews, portraits, film, public artworks and moments of collective exchange, the project creates a space for dialogue between the local community and artists from different countries, transforming Gratteri into a laboratory for cultural and social research.
Italy, France, Germany and the United States come together in a small village in the Madonie Mountains, creating an international collaboration that views art not as a form of decoration for a place, but as a means of imagining new forms of belonging, participation and future-making.
Promoted by the cultural association Grattaluci Si Diventa, Divertimento develops through the direct involvement of local residents and the support of a network of friends, supporters and partners who believe in the cultural and human value of small communities.
The project seeks to leave behind not only artworks and documents, but also relationships, opportunities for encounter and new narratives capable of accompanying Gratteri into the years ahead.
Help Us Make This Project Possible
Your support and contributions will enable us to achieve our goals and continue building this inspiring project.
Every contribution helps us create new opportunities for cultural exchange, participation and community engagement.
