Today, at the Loggiato di San Bartolomeo, the video installation “Nos Scandimus” was inaugurated with great public participation. This artistic project, conceived by visual artist Dario Denso Andriolo, celebrates the figure of Santa Rosalia and the strength of women through a contemporary and inclusive visual language.
The installation, created as part of the celebrations for the 400th anniversary of the Festino di Santa Rosalia, will be on display until December 31. It transforms the historic arches of the Loggiato into enormous digital altarpieces, illuminated by the faces of 400 Sicilian women in a powerful and evocative interpretation of the Santuzza.
“Nos Scandimus” is an artistic project promoted by the Regional Department of Cultural Heritage and Sicilian Identity, based on a proposal by the Fondazione Sant’Elia, which supported and hosted this extraordinary work. Since late November, shooting sessions have involved women from across Sicily, now featured as protagonists in a collective visual narrative that is both moving and deeply tied to local identity.
The inaugural event was attended by the Mayor of Palermo, Prof. Roberto Lagalla, the City Planning Councillor, Prof. Maurizio Carta, and the Vice President of the Fondazione Sant’Elia, Angela Fundarò. They expressed enthusiastic appreciation for the project.
The Mayor stated:
“Rosalia is, now more than ever, a virtuous example of determination, strength, and defiance. Her story and the power of her faith, celebrated during this 400th Anniversary of the Festino, resonate within Palermo’s women and in the hearts of all of us. This fascinating and innovative artistic project, for which I thank the Regional Department of Cultural Heritage, pays tribute to the Santuzza through a unique vision of Rosalia and her iconography. The evocative setting of the Loggiato di San Bartolomeo of the Metropolitan City of Palermo, where the installation will be hosted over the coming weeks, adds further value to this remarkable work.”
Antonio Ticali, Superintendent of the Fondazione Sant’Elia, also expressed great satisfaction:
“We are deeply moved by Palermo’s enthusiastic response to this experiment in video art, which, for the first time, transforms the large windows of the Loggiato di San Bartolomeo into a digital screen. The Fondazione Sant’Elia pays tribute to the patron saint with a collective initiative that engaged 400 women in the name of Rosalia. I extend my thanks to Dario Denso Andriolo, the Regional Department of Cultural Heritage and Sicilian Identity, and everyone who contributed to the realization of this project, which will illuminate Palermo’s winter nights and set the tone for 2025, a year dedicated to greater respect and recognition for women.”
The artist, Dario Denso Andriolo, at the heart of the audience’s admiration and praise, remarked:
“I didn’t choose this work; I felt it. I felt the need to tell the story of 400 women in their diversity and joy. I grew up with a remarkable woman, my mother, who raised me alone, without a father. I don’t believe in the strength of women—I know it.”
A Work that Moves and Inspires
From the early hours of the day, the Loggiato welcomed an enthusiastic audience. Many participants in the project experienced the emotion of seeing themselves illuminated in the powerful projections.
“Nos Scandimus” offers a unique experience that combines technology, art, and personal stories in a collective narrative, capturing the genuine energy of the city of Palermo.
