45th National Madonnari Meeting

08/15/2017

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Marina Ferrari - President Pro Loco - Curtatone
This is the 45th edition of the Madonnari, with all the squares fully booked: 150 Madonnari, 16 Maestri Madonnari, and 13 Qualified Madonnari. Even among the Simple Madonnari, there are 19 nations represented, including Mongolia, Iran, and Peru — truly spanning the globe.

The municipal administration has also provided a new drawing table and resurfaced the asphalt, so the artists will work much more comfortably this year. Additionally, the Pro Loco is celebrating its 50th anniversary with a special philatelic cancellation applied to two postcards created by the Italian Post, which will be displayed in their museum. These are limited edition and available only today.

The jury is led by Peter Assmann, Director of the Ducal Palace of Mantua, supported by a group of remarkable experts, some longtime members and some newer — overall, a very interesting jury.

There is a first prize for the Simple Madonnari, which allows them to move up to the Qualified category. The main prize, for the Qualified Madonnari to become Maestri Madonnari, is the famous bronze trophy depicting a young artist painting on the ground. The winning Maestro Madonnaro will also have the honor of designing the poster for next year’s event.
Peter Assmann – President – Jury of the 45th Madonnari Meeting
For me, this is a very special, very interesting, and intense experience. Of course, there are always “temperatures” — not only the hot concepts from the artists, but also the environmental conditions. This year is a bit better than last year. From what I see, the creative aspect is constantly expanding. The Madonnari start with a well-defined area and then broaden it further. This is a beautiful tradition that is also very current, and it gives us hope that in the coming years, Le Grazie will continue to host events of excellent and increasingly international artistic level.
Carlo Bottani – Mayor – Municipality of Curtatone
One of the great joys this year is the Holy Rosary, rediscovering spirituality and the centrality of the Feast of the Assumption, highlighting the spiritual significance of this day for everyone — including the Madonnari and this moment of deep reflection.

Le Grazie and the Mantua area are central: a place we welcome you to with joy, hoping to grow together. Thanks to excellent relations with the Provincial Administration of Mantua, as well as support from the Lombardy Region in promoting our event nationally and beyond, we also received confirmation from the provincial administration that a new traffic roundabout will be built to improve access for pilgrims and visitors. This will allow us to welcome everyone in the best possible way to Grazie di Curtatone.
Monsignor Marco Busca – Bishop of Mantua
Two things strike me. First, the event is completely free — these artists work so hard with their genius and skill, and their creations will soon be erased by the weather. Yet they offer their work so that anyone passing by, even for a moment, can experience a message, an emotion, or a prayer.

The second striking aspect of Madonnari art is the face: they depict the face, which is the most mysterious and profound part of a person. The rest of the body is similar for everyone, but the face expresses individuality. We all seek to glimpse the mystery of others through their faces, and I am deeply moved by the ways the Madonnari construct the expressions and gazes of their figures.

The 45th edition of the National Madonnari Meeting once again confirms the international and deeply spiritual nature of this unique event.

As Marina Ferrari, President of the Pro Loco of Curtatone, explains, this year all 150 squares are fully occupied, with artists from 19 countries — from Mongolia to Peru — participating, alongside 16 Maestri Madonnari and 13 Qualified Madonnari. The municipal administration renewed the church square, providing an ideal “drawing table” for the ephemeral art of chalk. On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Pro Loco, a commemorative postal cancellation was also created in collaboration with Poste Italiane.

Peter Assmann, President of the jury and Director of the Ducal Palace of Mantua, emphasized how the event represents a living tradition that evolves continuously, with the creativity of the Madonnari renewing every year, opening new artistic perspectives and maintaining an increasingly international level.

For Mayor Carlo Bottani, this year’s edition is marked by a profound rediscovery of spirituality and devotion to the Madonna Assunta, the heart of the festival. He also announced significant improvements in traffic and visitor access, thanks to collaboration with the Province of Mantua and the Lombardy Region.

Finally, Bishop Marco Busca highlighted the deep value of Madonnara art: a free, ephemeral, and profoundly human form of art, which through the depiction of the face reveals the mystery and soul of people. A gift that unites art, faith, and community in a single embrace of color and spirituality.