Matera Uses Art, Culture to Connect Mediterranean Communities
Despite its inland location, the Mediterranean features prominently in Matera’s exhibitions, music, ancient languages and stories of migration as the city serves as the Mediterranean Capital of Culture and Dialogue for 2026.
Beyond the concerts, exhibitions and artist residencies, the initiative promotes a broader idea: culture can create opportunities for dialogue across a region increasingly shaped by conflict, migration and political divisions.
A ‘Vast Liquid Continent’
“The Mediterranean is, as I like to call it, a vast liquid continent that carries with it millennia of history and culture,” said Rita Orlando, director general of the Matera Basilicata 2019 Foundation.
Orlando described the initiative as a form of cultural diplomacy, based on the idea that bringing artists, musicians and communities together can encourage mutual understanding when traditional diplomatic efforts face difficulties.
“Cultural diplomacy that brings people together can truly be the system, the tool, to facilitate understanding between peoples and thus contribute to a world of peace,” she said.
This philosophy is reflected throughout the city’s cultural program.
One example is Michelangelo Pistoletto’s artwork “Love Difference,” displayed at the rock-carved Complesso Rupestre Madonna delle Virtu e San Nicola dei Greci in Matera.
The installation features a mirrored table shaped like the Mediterranean Sea, surrounded by chairs representing the cultures of the countries and communities along its shores. The arrangement turns a familiar geopolitical map into a shared setting designed to encourage dialogue and interaction.
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