In January 1968, a severe eartquake destroyed several towns in the Belice Valley in Sicily, including the medieval town of Gibellina. On the initiative of Ludovico Corrao, then mayor of Gibellina, in the following years the town was rebuilt, a few kilometers from its original location and in a completely new form. By relocating Gibellina, Corrao connected the town to the railway line and the motorway. Above all, he had the idea of turning Gibellina into a town dedicated entirely to art and modern architecture, without losing its cultural roots.
One of these traditions is the annual procession for San Rocco, the patron saint of Gibellina, which takes place each August. At the procession the statue of the saint is being carried through the streets of the town and in the 1980s and 90s it was even accompanied by long embroidered and appliquéd textile works. These so-called "Prisenti" were designed by contemporary artists like e.g. Carla Accardi, Pietro Consagra and Alighiero Boetti.
As in my own artistic work the connection between textiles and modern architecture plays a core role, I am more than fascinated by the history, the art and the architecture of Gibellina.
Thereofore, in summer 2026 am going to take part in the procession for San Rocco with a textile work created by myself. In order to research for my project and to get in touch with the residents of Gibellina, I visited the Sicilian town several times, including the processions in August 2024 and 2025. In the trailer you can get a glimpse of the whole project, that will consist of a film that documets the the whole story as well as my textile work itself. The blue and red dress I amwearing in the video refers to the ceramic works by Carla Accardi at the town hall of Gibellina.
PRISENTE PER SAN ROCCO
Camera, editing, costumes, idea: Julia Zinnbauer
Gibellina 2023 – 2026
Grazie mille per la musica, Gruppo Tamburinari Famiglia Adragna e Banda Musicale Gioachino Rossini!