Resistance and Pride: The Murals of Orgosolo, Sardinia

Bill Rolston

doi:10.13169/statecrime.3.1.0073

Abstract

The small town of Orgosolo in the mountains of Sardinia is known for its murals: hundreds of them in a town of only 5,000 inhabitants. although murals exist throughout Sardinia, those of Orgosolo are noteworthy because of their political content. This article describes the origins of the mural tradition in the events of the late 1960s and early 1970s in the town. The combination of a left-wing council and youth group, as well as the powerful influence of an art teacher, led to the start of a process that continues to this day. The murals are classified into four interrelated themes: war, resistance, ethnic pride and resonance. But most importantly, the relevance of the mural tradition is placed in the context of the rejection by local people of northern Italian stereotypes which display them as backward shepherds and bandits, wedded inexorably to tradition and the rejection of progress.

Highlights

In 1996 a group of women muralists called “The Bees” (Le Api) painted a mural in Orgosolo, Sardinia which depicted shepherds cooking a pig on a spit
The following day, some actual shepherds argued with the muralists that it was not appropriate to depict a shepherd holding a mobile phone
The purpose of this article is to use this experience to focus on the murals of Orgosolo as a form of resistance to negative views of Sardinia and its people

Summary

Introduction

In 1996 a group of women muralists called “The Bees” (Le Api) painted a mural in Orgosolo, Sardinia which depicted shepherds cooking a pig on a spit. The purpose of this article is to use this experience to focus on the murals of Orgosolo as a form of resistance to negative views of Sardinia and its people.

Objectives

Results

Conclusion