MANTUA, 2 July 2024 – Il August 14th and 15th the village of Thanks from Curtatone, in the province of Mantuaturns into a open-air museum on the occasion of the traditional National Meeting of Madonnariwhich reaches its 50th edition. Every year, during the Ancient Fair of Graces, on the night of August 15th more than one hundred chalk artistscoming from all over the world and especially from Italy, gather on the churchyard Sanctuary of the Blessed Virgin of Graces, giving visitors a unique spectacle and of great artistic value, on the occasion of what is recognized as the most important international event dedicated to street art of sacred inspiration: the art of madonnara. This year there will be 135 (of which approximately 40 come from abroad) the artists whobent over the asphalt of the Sanctuary’s square, will work on their works from the morning of August 14th to sunset of August 15thThe jury, which also includes qualified international presences, will be composed of journalists, ecclesiastical representatives, art historians and experts in Madonna art.
The “Divine Comedy” is the theme of the 2024 competition. The 50th edition of the National Meeting of Madonnari will be exceptionally dedicated to a specific theme: the Divine Comedy. An ambitious project of great artistic value, sponsored by Ministry of Culture and developed thanks to the collaboration with the Dante Society Alighieriwhich deals with the promotion of Italian culture in the world. The idea is to ideally link the path of the pilgrims who arrive in Grazie every year in the Marian month to the one undertaken by Dante between Hell, Purgatory and Paradise. For the construction of the work, the square will be divided into three sectors corresponding to the three canticles (Inferno, Purgatory, Paradise). On the other hand, the presence of Mantua in the Divine Comedy is crucial. In addition to the obvious importance of Virgil (both as a reference author for the entire poem and as a guide for two canticles), there is the significant presence of Sordello di Goito, not just a character, but a supplementary guide for as many as 3 cantos of Purgatory. Not only that: Canto XX of the Inferno features the figure of Manto, the legendary sorceress who founded Mantua, and Dante dedicates the longest digression attributed to Virgil to the story of the city’s foundation.
From a logistical-organizational point of view, each canticle will in turn be divided into spaces on which selected themes and situations will be representedThe works must be made exclusively with chalks, water-soluble pastels, chalk powders or powdered pigments, and occupy the entire assigned space (maximum distance allowed 10 cm from the edges of the pitch) to allow the unitary reading of the three canticles.
The Ancient Fair of Graces. Particularly significant is the tradition of reaching the Borgo on foot during the days of Ferragosto, like the devotees who since 1400 reached the Madonna delle Grazie. At the time, the place was not adequately equipped to offer hospitality to the faithful and so some pilgrims turned into merchants, placing the first food stalls. From this intuition, over time what is now known as Ancient Fair of Graceswhose sixth centenary will be celebrated in 2025.
Many reasons to visit Grazie and the Mincio Natural Park. All this takes place in the small village of Grazie di Curtatone, with its sanctuary in Lombard Gothic style, a place of Marian devotion and a destination for pilgrimages, the Mincio river and the nature reserve that hosts itthe fairytale lotus flower bloomwhich enchants visitors especially in summer on the Upper Lake of Mantua, and the Ancient Fair which every year recalls more than 100 thousand visitors and which in the last two years has obtained the high patronage of the European Parliament. The village of Grazie is part of the circuit of Most beautiful villages in Italy and recently climbed onto the podium of the television program Il Borgo dei Borghi, finishing in third place. For these reasons, as well as being a religious destination for pilgrims, Thank you is the ideal destination for all art and nature loverswithout leaving out the passionate of local food and wine traditions.
· The area offers numerous opportunities to be discovered and appreciated by tourists and visitors thanks to eco-friendly bike itineraries, mini-cruises and river excursions on the Mincio river, between the city of Mantua, Grazie di Curtatone and Rivalta, where the “Mincio Valleys Nature Reserve“. The landscape retains suggestive atmospheres among blooming lotus flowers, marsh hibiscus and thick vegetation that welcomes red and grey herons, bitterns, marsh harriers and other protected bird species.
· A distinctive element of the village of Grazie, embraced by the river Mincio, is the Sanctuary of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Grace in Lombard Gothic style. Dating back to the end of the 14th century, it preserves numerous ex-voto polymaterial statues and a stuffed crocodile hanging from the vaults, perhaps a symbol of the defeated devil, protagonist of numerous legends. Grazie is a unique place, a concentration of history, nature and traditions that remains in the hearts of many visitors, fascinated by the artistic heritage and the evocative atmosphere that can be felt there.
· The typical dish of Thanks it’s the Cotechino DC (Municipal Denomination) also highly appreciated in summer. Maybe because it is so tasty or because it is characterized by a reduced salt and fat content, but the tradition he wants the delicious “sandwich with cotechino” to be eaten during the Ancient August Fair.
I partner. The Ancient Fair of Graces and the related 50th National Meeting of Madonnari are organized by the Municipality of Curtatone with the patronage of the European Parliament, the Ministry of Culture, the Province of Mantua, the Municipality of Mantua and the Mincio Park. The event is also made possible thanks to the contribution of the Cariplo Foundation, the Banca Agricola Mantovana Foundation, the Lombardy Region, the Chamber of Commerce of Mantua. It also benefits from the collaboration of the Municipalities of Goito and Borgo Virgilio. Partner in the realization of the 50th National Meeting of Madonnari is the Dante Alighieri Society.
Contacts: Web: www.borgodigrazie.it | Social: Fb Ancient Fair of Graces / IG Fair of Graces
Municipality of Curtatone: 3 Spanish Court Square, Montanara di Curtatone – 46010 Curtatone (MN)
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