The fiftieth G7 summit was held in Puglia, a Borgo Egnaziaplace of the plastic representation of trashy: it is the failed emulation of both the village and Italian culture. It has nothing to do with the medieval village and has no historical relevance: it is not a fortified rural centre, nor an extension of the city outside the ancient walls; it does not have a significant architectural and urban heritage nor is there any trace of a negligible percentage of historic buildings prior to 1939, all indicators that qualify the village.
Much more banally, Borgo Egnazia in the municipality of Fasano in the province of Brindisi, it is a 5 star resort not exactly representative of Italian culture, but rather of the entrepreneurial success of the Melpignano family who, starting from 1996created from nothing, literally, “an empty field planted with vegetables”a reality “which is neither a hotel, nor a village, nor a farm but all these things together”.
In short, this “village” renamed as such in 2010, which however is not a village, nor a masseria or a widespread hotel (what could it be?) “evokes” the toil of the Apulian peasant world, offering artificial views and atmospheres and showing off a disguised frugality with its 28 villas with swimming pool and private garden; three swimming pools; the spa; 63 rooms; 92 small houses and its six starred restaurants.
Everything is in style-something and exudes “clear homages” to architectural forms; small squares, arches; courtyards; bell towers; porches; flat roofs in tuff or limestone, of an unidentified construction typology of an unspecified time which would, in theory, allude to theApulian rural architecture but which instead recalls the commercial and reassuring aesthetics of Italian outlets, a destination for family Sunday outings, built in the early 2000s, close to the motorway exit junctions.
It remains to be understood why, a government that proclaims itself as the pugnacious standard-bearer of the authentic made in Italy has decided to place the seven protagonists of the intergovernmental forum and Pope Bergoglio, in this parallel hardback reality; locking them up in a sort of super-luxury amusement park; lowering them into a substitute for elegance; a factory outlet village without history and culture which boasts of having hosted, you will never believe it: Chiara Ferragni and Dolce&Gabbana; the wedding of Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel; Madonna’s birthday, and think about it, even David and Victoria Beckham’s holidays.
