New European Bauhaus Prizes 2023

Project category

Identify the award category for which this project is being submitted
Regaining a sense of belonging

Email user
katia.miritello@gmail.com

Basic information
Project title
La Porta della Bellezza/TheBeauty'sGate

Full Project Title
Beauty and Knowledge can make a change on both a personal and social level in a disadvantaging area

Please provide a short, catchy description of your project to be used in communication towards the public.
Where poverty, crime, disadvantage, drugs, mafia were the dominating factors at Librino, the Artist Antonio Presti realised there "TheBeauty'sGate" as a gift to start the process of creation of a sense of social identity, belonging and vision. It is a land art installation made of millions of terracotta elements made by local students helped by artists. The main theme is the genesis of creation. Librino is a peripheric area in Sicily where are living nearly 75000 people, 15000 of which children.

What was the geographical scope of your project?
National

Where was your project implemented?
Member State(s) and Western Balkans
Italy

If relevant, insert names of region(s)/municipality(ies) involved
{Empty}

Does your project address mainly urban or rural issues?
Mainly urban

Does your project refer to a physical transformation of the built environment or other types of transformations (hard or soft investments)?
It refers to a physical transformation of the built environment (hard investment)

Has your project benefited from EU programmes and/or funds?
No

Has your project won an EU prize with a monetary value awarded?
No

Is your project fully completed
Yes

Please indicate a date (mm/yy)
2009-05-15

On whose behalf are you submitting the application?
As an individual
Please provide the contact details for the project promoter (the individual or representative of the organisation authorised to represent the project).
- First name: MARIA
  Last name: MIRITELLO
  Gender: Female
  Nationality: Italy
  If relevant, please select your other nationality: Italy
  Address (country of permanent residence for individuals or address of the organisation)<br/>Street and number: Via Etnea 110
  Town: Catania
  Postal code: 95100
  Country: Italy
  Direct Tel: +39 371 597 4153
  E-mail: katia.miritello@gmail.com
  Website: https://www.ioamolibrino.it/la-porta-della-bellezza/
Social Media accounts (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, etc.)
- URL: https://www.facebook.com/people/Io-Amo-Librino-CT-La-Porta-della-Bellezza-La-Porta-delle-Farfalle/100057442959843/?paipv=0&eav=AfY2KyYDpzpjXpoEFMrUKv1Xxh9BcJM1YvIXA-Bxcoyz5hZFAlR_VmXYuyhiWL7eBHg&_rdr
  Social media handle and associated hashtag(s): #Presti Fiumara #arte #quartiere librino
In case my project is selected as a finalist of the NEB Prizes 2023, I agree to share the name (individual and/or organisation’s), email address, website and social media accounts indicated above with other NEB Prizes finalists. I also agree to publish the name (individual and/or organisation’s), website and social media accounts indicated above next to the public description of my project in the channels of the European Commission.
Yes

How did you hear about the New European Bauhaus Prizes?
Rosa Anna Argento

Description of the project
Please provide a summary of your project.
Motorway Palermo-Catania, junction Librino. This was the worst and dangerous marginal area in Sicily in terms of crimes, drugs and mafia. At the biggest roundabout, along 500 mt of concrete motorway's passage wall, Master Antonio Presti built in 2009 “The Beauty's Gate” (translation from the original Italian version the “Porta della Bellezza”), which is the biggest land art installation composed by 9000 artefacts/elements terracotta made in a school laboratory by the cooperative contribution of artists, art's student from college, 2000 children and their mums. The“Porta della Bellezza”contains 13 big main art installation and 13 poetries in between. This installation is applied on a cobalt blue wall and the main theme of it is “The Big Mather”. The terra cotta, nature-based material, identifies the circularity and sustainability of this project. So far, neither vandalism or disparaging acts have been perpetrated there. In Librino, periphery and matriarchal land portion in Northern East Sicily with 75000 habitants, women are holding the heavy weight of their family. Since 1990’s, people in Librino have been victim of long-suffering, violence and poverty on a both consciousness and economic level, especially female and kids. The Vision of Antonio Presti is to bring back to women their sacral dimension on a sort of symbolic and metaphoric huge altar, created by the cooperative and intra-generational engagement and exchange of artists, young students and mums. Now, in Librino, new values are raising such as dignity, honesty, vision and kindness. Throughout the love to realize a little piece of terra cotta, each person will respect the value and the beauty of a mum, therefore, respect into the Community and the same for further coming generation. From Antonio Presti's Gift to Librino to a social identity, from a"no-place"with"no-identity" to a home. It’s a symbolic transformation translated into reality. Art is either a therapy to heal a wound and a tool to became free.

Please indicate the main themes of your project with 5 key words.
Vision's Genesis

Please indicate the main themes of your project with key words
Inclusion

Please indicate the main themes of your project with key words
Aesthetics

Please indicate the main themes of your project with key words
Participation

Please indicate the main themes of your project with key words
Ethic

Please give information about the key objectives of your project in terms of sustainability and how these have been met. Please highlight how the project can be exemplary in this context.
The Key objectives in terms of sustainability for the "Porta della Bellezza"are:
-employing sustainable practice and material. The"Porta della Bellezza"transformed the peripheral area of Librino into a community which now knows sustainable practise (such as employing the clay,raw material, in order to create beauty in a spirit of circularity and participation.
-respecting nature: the grass and the trees nearby the installation are clean and respected.
-zero fuel emission: in order to prepare the artefacts in terracotta,only nature-based clay, a specific hoven at the Laboratory of a primary school in Librino was employed. This Laboratory is 200 metres far away from the "Porta della Bellezza".
- increasing life's quality. People is now walking nearby the “Porta della Bellezza”; Artists, Teachers, Students and the whole local community which are now benefitting by the closest, the view and the entropy from this spiritual land art. It's free to get there, accessible and with no barriers.
-integrating a concrete wall to environment. Thanks to the cobalt blue on the background, the integration with the environment - sky and sea - is met accordingly. --increasing the flat's economic value.
-social and proximity economy to the overall socioeconomic development thanks to the raising of new services and facilitation for families and special needs.
-intra-generational engagement and exchange of knowledge.

Please give information about the key objectives of your project in terms of aesthetics and quality of experience for people (through design, positive emotions and cultural benefits) and how these have been met. Please highlight how the project can be exemplary in this context.
Master Antonio Presti, founder of the “Porta Bellezza”, wants to bring back to women their sacral dimension with a sort of artistic huge altar, created by the cooperative and intra-generational engagement and exchange of artists, young students and their mums from Librino. The theme is the Big Mather, the designs of installation regarding The Roots", "The Cornucopia", "Hope", "The Altar", "The Female Giant", "The Door", "The Genesis", "The Beauty is Within Me", "The Eggs", "The 4 Elements", "Matis Matita" and "Cosmic Sublimation".
The part of poetries in between the above main installations belongs to Dante Alighieri, Oscar Wilde, Emily Dickinson, Giacomo Leopardi, Giorgio Caproni, Johann W. Goethe, Kamlil Gibran, Maria Attanasio, Mario Luzi, Nelo Risi, Vivian La Marque and Radindranath Tagore.
Around the main theme of the Big Mother, the elements represented belong to Cosmogony, Astronomy, Epic, Genetic, Metaphysic, Philosophy and nature based fields.
At the “Porta of Bellezza” each person recognizes thyself and the value of a mum throughout the love to realize that little terracotta piece which is part of Librino’s soul, therefore people will bring respect to it and peace within the Community. From Antonio Presti's Art-Gift to Librino to a sort of social identity towards the path of re-construct a "no-place" with no-identity to a home with a renewed strong form.
This transformation happened in Librino thanks to an exquisite vision so that, throughout creating a participative relationships, creating a terra cotta Art's element and partecipating for it, residents are building a new strong identity.
Art is either a therapy to heal a wound into Librino's society and a tool to freer from the debt of disadvantaging.
The “Porta della Bellezza” is a life metaphor for Librino's people, for 2000 mothers and 2000 young students who can now beautifully reflect a page of their life onto that wall, and as them, also others and future generations.

Please give information about the key objectives of your project in terms of inclusion (ranging from accessibility and affordability for all to inclusive governing systems, design for all principles or new societal models) and how these have been met. Please highlight how the project can be exemplary in this context.
The Porta della Bellezza is inclusive either on a creation and an accessibility level. Many terracotta elements were made by pupils with a sort of intellectual or physical disability. This wasn’t cause of discrimination but an element of real inclusion. Those young students reversed all their love onto that amazing experience by participating at the laboratory’s activities and expressing their creativity. Therefore, the principles of inclusion at the laboratory is a great example of equity. Furthermore, the opportunity to include all the terracotta artefacts on the same installation on that cobalt blue wall at the "Beauty Gate or Porta della Bellezza" is a pure example of inclusive expression. The “Porta della Bellezza”, is also free to visit, accessible to all, by walk, bicycle, car or bus.
It is exemplary as its maieutic has protected the Land Art installation from vandalism, acts which are really common in Librino. This is happening as each local person feel to be part of it, identifying his social identity and future with it.

Please explain the way citizens benefiting from or affected by the project and civil society have been involved in the project and what has been the impact of this involvement on the project
The Citizens are benefiting from this Land Art Installation because of its entropic impact on the life of people who lives in Librino (75000 habitants); they did not know the value of dignity, beauty, knowledge, no needs to study as mafia will have supported them to pass anyway and towards a side carrier of shootings, drugs, violence, illegality and crimes, really common also amongst pre-teen.
Now, Librino’s citizen knew a pure variety of values and channels to be a good person and to became successful in a legal path. They know arts, poems, lyrics, music, events to celebrate success, how to made a terra cotta artefact. They understand the sense of a mission in life and the value of their vision for the future. Basically this project has created a truly virtuosos circle. Any external observer can easily verify this, especially if they remember the state of degrade which was controlling Librino.
All Librino's primary schools are now investing into art (such as giving for free music instruments and opportunity to express themselves on a biggest scene) and laboratory activities.
Being Librino nearby the airport and a big hospital, this area appear more welcoming to foreigners and new people decide to rent or buy a house there. In the past this option would have be considered out of the blue. Therefore we can all confirm with no doubts the immense positive change in just a decade in terms of life style and appreciation of being from Librino. Also on facebook there is a page called “Io Amo Librino” (I love Librino).

Please explain how different stakeholders at various levels (local, regional, national, European) were engaged in the design and implementation of the project. Please highlight what the added value of their engagement was.
None of the Politician stakeholders were involved. None of them were engaged. The project, was entirely realized by Antonio Presti and his personal Income.

Please explain which disciplines and/ or knowledge fields were reflected in the design and implementation of your project. Please explain how representatives of these different fields interacted with each other, and what the added value of this process was.
The “Porta della Bellezza” is composed by 13 main art installations and 13 poetries around the theme of the “Big Mother - Mother Heart”. The scope is to consecrate women’s sacral dimension in a sort of symbolic and metaphoric huge altar, created by the cooperative and intra-generational engagement and exchange of artists, young students and their mums from Librino along the process of creation the 9000 terra cotta elements along 500 metres of cobalt blue wall at Librino’s Junction.
The Following are the title for the main installations: "The Roots", "The Cornucopia", "Hope", "The Altar", "The Female Giant", "The Door", "The Genesis", "The Beauty is Within Me", "The Eggs", "The 4 Elements", "Matis Matita" and "Cosmic Sublimation".
The part of poetries in between the above main installations belongs to Dante Alighieri, Oscar Wilde, Emily Dickinson, Giacomo Leopardi, Giorgio Caproni, Johann W. Goethe, Kamlil Gibran, Maria Attanasio, Mario Luzi, Nelo Risi, Vivian La Marque and Radindranath Tagore.
Around the main theme of the Big Mother, the elements represented belong to Cosmogony, Astronomy, Epic, History, Literature, Civic Education, Geography, Arts, Metaphysic, Philosophy and nature based fields.
It’s a symbolic transformation translated into reality, thanks to Antonio's Presti vision about a “to do spirit” and a metaphysic consciousness of Beauty.
Art is either a therapy to heal a wound and a tool to became free from that degraded debt. The “Porta della Bellezza” is a metaphor to connect to a new identity for Librino's people, for 2000 mothers and 2000 young students. Everyone who participated, directly or also indirectly, will always see a part of their life on that wall.

Please give information on the results, outcomes and impacts achieved by your project in relation to the category you apply for. This includes also benefits from the project for direct and indirect beneficiaries
“La Porta della Bellezza” or “The Beauty's Gate” is an exquisite Land Art Installation which endorses an Entropic impact on the life of people who lives nearby and around Librino, and infra generation. People is now knowing the value of dignity, beauty, knowledge, respect, kindness, art, by different channels, such as arts, poems, lyrics and music. This project has created a truly virtuosos circle with direct and indirect beneficiaries. Direct into personal dimension and indirect to the around circuite made by the nearest Airport and Hospital which are place saver because of a better neighborhood.
The methodology applied at the "Porta della Bellezza" is transferable and the outcome could be a pure success as demonstrated in Librino.

Please provide documents showing the results, outcomes and impacts of your project
PDF
PDF
- pdf-1-14505.pdf
Please highlight the innovative character of the project, when compared to mainstream actions in the field of the project
The Innovative character is all into the power of beauty. Bringing exquisite Arts into a periphery is something really innovative, as Antonio Presti started this process in 2000s. The innovation is into a project “en plain air” around a disadvantaging area, by using auric themes, sustainable nature based materials, epic symbolism and families.

Please describe the methodology or approach used in your project.
The methodology here applied are metacognitive, cooperative thanks to learning by doing, peer education and tutoring . The Strategy is pure maieutic, inclusive and sacral.
Antonio Presti has spent his personal income.

Please describe which elements of your project could be replicated or transferred to other places, groups of beneficiaries and context. This may involve for example aspects of the methodology, technology, processes, products, learnings etc.
This Project is replicable, adaptable and transferrable to other places and contexts with the same methodology, process, product and learnings.
Antonio’s Presti Vision is unique. Thanks to his approach, many future communities may benefit from art, a sort of Butterfly effect on a worldwide base.
The leit motif is to export this project to places/people they need the most. The Art code is absolutely universal.

Please explain what kind of global challenges the project addresses by providing local solutions
The “Porta della Bellezza” is addressed to overcome many global challenges, such as the anxiety towards the future and the denying attitude towards peripheral areas.
The challenge to overcome the issues created by the modernity such as irresponsible buildings construction of concrete, persistency while ignoring nature's life cycles, anonymous suburbs which are actually a non-place, where, if not criminal you may suffer the sense of absolute loneliness.
Thanks to The “Porta della Bellezza”, wich is actually a Gate into Beauty, many people learnt to resist, want to exist, overcoming difficulties and transforming their destiny.
The "Big Mother" is the main theme, which helps to discover the mystery of life, connection with the life cycling, human’s roots, values, vision, mission and with nature.
Modern societies are living the illusion of a linear time, however this is cause of anxiety and the “Porta della Bellezza” wants to give back to new generations the sense of life cycling world and the value of Female archetype.
“Beauty will save the world”.
Please attach at least 6 high resolution images (or other types of visual representations, if images are not possible) to your application.
If you would like to upload additional documentation, please upload or write below
{Empty}

By submitting your application you confirm that you are the copyright owner of the images provided and that they can be used by the European Commission for the purposes of promoting the New European Bauhaus on all platforms (websites, print, social media and other).
Yes

By ticking this box, you declare that you are not in in one or more of the exclusion situations foreseen under Article 136 of the Financial Regulation.
Yes

By submitting this application, I declare that I am not related to the entities subject to EU restricted measures under Article 29 of the Treaty on the European Union (TEU) and subject to Article 215 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU (TFEU)1, and entities covered by Commission Guidelines No 2013/C 205/05), which are not eligible to participate in any capacity.
Yes

By ticking this box, you declare that all the information provided in this form is factually correct, that you assume sole liability in the event of a claim relating to the activities carried out in the framework of the contest, that the proposed project has not been proposed for the New European Bauhaus Prizes in any other category or strand and that it has not been subject to any type of investigation, which could lead to a financial correction because of irregularities or fraud.
Yes

By submitting your application, you guarantee that you are the author or have the rights to proceed with the application and to authorise the use of the project and that you have obtained any necessary consents, licenses or assignments from third parties and included copyright notices when necessary.
Yes

By submitting your application, you understand that all the applications that meet the eligibility requirements will be shared for the purposes of the selection processes, and notably published on the secured platform prizes.new-european-bauhaus.eu and for the purposes of the promotion of these on the New European Bauhaus website and/or other European Commission communication channels. In this sense, the applications would be widely available. Applicants should ensure that they present their projects, in such a way that they could be shared without giving rise to intellectual property related concerns. If your submission is selected as one of the finalists, it will additionally be shared for the purpose of the public vote that will take place. The European Union is granted a licence to use and share your application with the general public and the official external experts for the purposes of the selection process, including the voting. The European Union has the right to use the images and visual materials and the description provided in the application for communication purposes related to the contest and beyond. Rights granted comprise the right to store, reproduce, display, publish and communicate or distribute copies in electronic or digital format, including, but not only, through the internet. Unless you have disclosed your name, the European Commission has no obligation to share your name when using or disseminating your contribution to the public. The European Union cannot be held responsible in case any submitted project, is found to infringe third party’s rights. The European Union shall be neither responsible for the use that third parties may do of the applications or related content.
Yes

By submitting your application, you acknowledge that you read and understand that the ‘Guide to Applicants’ of the NEB Prizes 2023, available online in the website of the NEB Prizes 2023, is an integral part of this application form and that it must therefore be observed when completing and submitting your application.
Yes