Symbol of rebirth and hope, it could only be Saint Rosalia the protagonist of the new manifesto of Palermo Comic Conventionthe event dedicated to comic books and to pop culturewhose ninth edition will be held at Cultural Construction Sites at the Zisa from 12 to 15 September.
The work is signed by Lelio Bonaccorso and it is a singular interweaving between art, culture And historicitywhich blends modernity and tradition, between centuries-old iconography and Sican inlays to tell a unique journey, between innovation and folklore.
“Depict Saint Rosalia it was a real challenge for me” – says Lelio Bonaccorso, cartoonist, illustrator and teacher, who created the poster on a special occasion: the 400 years from the discovery from the bare of the Saint. There will be numerous activities that will take place during the Festival, many artists who will perform and, all of this, with an organizational formation that has been tried and tested over time, which always shows new peculiarities year after year. In the next few months the announcements will begin, the presale will start and as it happens, for the Palermo Comic Convention, the surprises for this ninth edition will be discovered. Attendance in 2023 was 48 thousand and the goal is to improve.
“When the general manager Alessio Riolo he commissioned the work from me, which then turned into manifest of the next edition of Palermo Comic ConventionI felt the responsibility to represent the symbol more important than city Of Palermowhich I consider my second home after living there for many years – he adds Lelio Bonaccorso -. A challenge that I would define as not only demanding, but also extraordinarily fascinating, which honored me and, at the same time, imposed on me a sense of reverential awe. An extremely stimulating job, which I accepted with enthusiasm. I dedicated a lot of time to the study of graphic and iconographic references, and in particular to the symbolic aspect of the “Santuzza“. The goal was to merge theiconography traditional with more contemporary elements e popin line with the spirit of a Festival of the comic book. The research led me to explore the marble inlays from the Sicilian churches of the Eighteenth centuryas the Church Of Saint Gregory to Messina and the Church of the Jesus Casa Professa a Palermoas well as the Palatine Chapel at the Norman Palace. I also examined the Spanish and Central American traditions of Dia de Muertos, full of lively illustrations. This is because one of the symbols of Saint Rosalia and the skull, which represents death but is also a sign of the eternal cycle of life. I chose bright colors, not only for their historical significance, but also for their communicative impact, aiming to create a poster that attracted attention and, at the same time, combined tradition and innovation. I would like to express my gratitude towards the organizers of Palermo Comic Conventionsfor the opportunity received, and I anxiously await the judgment of Palermo and of all Sicilianswhose opinions will be the definitive measure of its success manifest“.
“We are extremely happy that a great author, like Lelio Bonaccorso, has taken up a decidedly difficult challenge – states the general manager Alessio Riolo -. Palermo Comic Convention it’s tradition: let’s start with comic books but, with a much broader vision, we embrace the whole pop culture. And this manifest represents us fully: tradition, but also and above all innovation”.
The “Santuzza” will be celebrated with a rich man calendar Of events And initiatives cultural which, starting from the month of May, will continue until the first months of 2025, involving the entire territory metropolitan of the Sicilian capital. Among these events it certainly could not be missed Palermo Comic Conventions which, in its ninth edition, will once again transform Palermo into the kingdom of Comics, Games, Cinema and Pop Culture, skilfully combining the modernity to traditions. Palermo Comics Conventions is part of REFFthe Net National made up of Festival Italians of Comic bookwhich aim to enhance the ninth art in all its forms.
