Lucania ’61 is the large canvas (18.50 meters x 3.20 meters) that Carlo Levi painted to describe the Basilicata region and to honor the Lucan friend Rocco Scotellaro. It is kept in the Levi Room of the National Museum of Medieval and Modern Art in Matera. The artwork was commissioned by the Committee for the Celebrations of the Centenary of the Unity of Italy to represent Basilicata at the Italia 61 exhibition (Turin, May 1961). Aim of the project (2019) has been the realization of a tactile version that makes this artwork accessibile to visually impaired people. The 3D printed model has been presented to the public on the 19th of September 2024 by the Fondazione Giorgio Amendola - Associazione Lucana in Piemonte Carlo Levi, in Turin.
The haptic perception is made through contours and reliefs of key characters represented in the canvas. A legend is available for correspondence between the reliefs, labeled with Braille letters, and the characters.
The transition from 2D to tactile version is the thesis project of Roberto Nour for his Bachelor degree in Electronic and Computer Engineering (University of Pavia, a.y. 2018/2019), under the supervision of prof. Virginio Cantoni. The 3D model has been adapted for 3D printing by Massimiliano Pini. Advice from Nicola Stilla (Unione Italiana dei Ciechi e degli Ipovedenti - Consiglio Regionale Lombardo) and Giovanni Caserta. The first test 3D prints were made by Stefania Marconi (3D4MED). The final 3D print is done by the Fondazione Giorgio Amendola - Associazione Lucana in Piemonte Carlo Levi.
“Lucania ’61” by Carlo Levi, image from Il Telero di Carlo Levi da Torino un viaggio nella Questione Meridionale, Ed . Il Rinnovamento, 2015.
19 September 2024: presentation of the tactile version of Lucania '61. In photo, from left, Prospero Cerabona (president of the Fondazione Giorgio Amendola), Domenico Cerabona (director of the Fondazione Giorgio Amendola), Pino Mantovani (historian and art critic), Giovanni Caserta (online, professor and historian of Matera), Virginio Cantoni (professor emeritus of the University of Pavia) and Roberto Nour (graduated in Computer Engineering at the University of Pavia). In the middle photo, Prospero Cerabona shows the tactile version. In the right photo, Prospero Cerabona, Michela Favaro (deputy mayor of the city of Turin) and Domenico Cerabona in a frame of the video on the inauguration by "Events in Turin".
This artwork represents the life of the poet Rocco Scotellaro in three fundamental moments: in the center, adolescent Scotellaro; on the right, adult Scotellaro in Piazza Tricarico; on the left, Scotellaro lies deceased in a cave, surrounded by people afflicted by his loss. Scenes are inspired by Lucanian everyday life, some taken by Mario Carbone’s photos.
One of the photos taken by Mario Carbone and the corresponding scene painted by Carlo Levi in “Lucania ‘61”.
> A description by Giovanni Caserta [text in Italian]
Presentata la stampa 3D del modello tattile della tela “Lucania ’61”, da UNIPV.news - 27 settembre 2024
La Lucania dipinta da Levi riprodotta per i non vedenti, from La Stampa, Torino - 20/09/2024
Il Telero "Lucania '61" di Levi è accessibile ai non vedenti, from Cronaca Qui, Torino - 20/09/2024
Dipinto di Carlo Levi Lucania '61 ora per ciechi e ipovedenti, from ansa.it - 19/09/2024
Il Telero "Lucania '61" di Carlo Levi è ora fruibile anche per le persone cieche e ipovedenti. Alla Fondazione Amendola, from NonSoloContro, nonsolocontro.it - 19/09/2024
Il Telero “Lucania '61” diventa accessibile grazie alla Fondazione Giorgio Amendola, from TorinOggi.it - 19/09/ 2024
Inaugurazione mappatura 3D del Telero “Lucania '61” di Carlo Levi, video from Eventi a Torino - 19/09/2024
Un telero di Carlo Levi «mappato» in 3D, Notizie in breve, Giorno per giorno nell’arte, Notizia n. 12, from Il Giornale dell'Arte - 18/09/2024