E fu sera e fu mattina

“Evening came and morning came”
In Martina Franca, a journey through art, fashion, music, and thought

There are projects that develop like maps, and others like stories. “Evening came and morning came” belongs to this second dimension: a cultural path that unfolds in time and space, guiding Martina Franca from April 30 to June 6, 2026, in an itinerary composed of intertwined languages and shared visions.
The program takes shape in the symbolic places of the city — Palazzo Ducale, Conservatorio Santa Maria della Misericordia, Biblioteca Isidoro Chirulli — transforming them into traversable spaces filled with experiences that connect art, fashion, music, literature, and research.
Opening the path on April 30 is Regina Schrecker, a prominent figure on the international scene, who presents “Elogio della bellezza sostenibile” in the noble halls of Palazzo Ducale. This is a narrative through images and creations that traverse epochs and imaginations: garments, costumes, and objects inspired by Dante, Andy Warhol, Basquiat, Arnaldo Pomodoro, and the latest experiments related to artificial intelligence. It serves as a living archive capable of restoring continuity between tradition and innovation.
Literature is incorporated into the program as a space for reflection and storytelling. Presentations lead the audience through paths touching on biographies, contemporary unease, and collective memories: from the last hours of Edith Piaf recounted by Teresa Caricola, to the inner landscapes and paths of medieval pilgrimage evoked by Marino Pagano and Angelo Palmieri, to the writing of Rossella Dentuto, which navigates themes of identity and transformation. The literary presentations will be guided by Cinzia Cofano, a professor, cultural operator, and writer who won the “Premio Adriatico. Un mare che Unisce” in 2024, and is the curator of the cultural column “Librinstreaming” in collaboration with Tony Vinci, who will cover all scheduled events with Valleditrialivechannel cameras.
Music permeates the entire project with a widespread presence. The piano of Maestro Paolo Palazzo and the voice of Manuel Amati in Solfeggi Notturni present the music of Aprile and Perla, among the most significant composers from Martina Franca: pages created for vocal teaching, here reinterpreted in a non-philological way. Almost entirely in modern premiere, the program invites a rediscovery and enhancement of the historical-musical heritage of the area, while the sounds of Simon Armenise and the performances of Luna Dragonieri with the TuaSorellaMinore project construct sound environments where electronics and video art engage in an immersive dialogue.
Alongside the artistic appointments, the program opens spaces for in-depth exploration and research. Meetings focused on the relationship between art, science, and spirituality, as well as reflections on the persistences of the magical in popular Apulian culture, bring back to the center a dimension of knowledge rooted in the territory, with the participation of the “Alfredo Majorano” Ethnographic Museum, a noteworthy civic institution established in 2003 to preserve and enhance the ethnological collection dedicated to the famous Taranto scholar; the exhibited specimens at the museum articulate a precise narrative around the magical-religious rituals and popular traditions of the area, at least since the 18th century. The event narrates the research project of Maria Grazia Carriero, configured as an interdisciplinary investigation that uses the codes of contemporary art to explore and document the popular beliefs still alive in the Apulian territory. Through a survey lasting about two years, the artist has employed dialogue as a primary investigative tool, collecting extensive video and photographic documentation from the streets and homes of numerous municipalities in the provinces of Taranto, Bari, Brindisi, Lecce, and Foggia.
The focus of the research is the entity known as laùru (also known by local variants such as jurj’, avurie, scarcagnulu, or scazzamurrieddhu), an ambivalent domestic "spirit" that inhabits the collective memory of communities on the brink of extinction. The investigation goes beyond mere ethnographic collection, transforming testimonies into works of art, installations, and videos (like the pieces Darkness and Parole a Sud), where the documentary and "rough" nature of the footage aims to restore the freshness and pathos of everyday encounters.

Exhibitions, displays, and cultural walks complement the journey, offering further opportunities for exploration. Training in the fashion sector with the MITA Fashion Academy Foundation presents, in the evocative spaces of the Palazzo Ducale in Martina Franca, a show dedicated to the contemporary reinterpretation of Bisset’s Carmen. The exhibition features a selection of outfits created by the academy's students, who modernize the imagery of the opera, blending theatrical aesthetics with contemporary sensibilities. The sartorial dimension of haute couture takes center stage, expressed through refined techniques, material research, and attention to detail, bringing creations to life that engage in dialogue between tradition and innovation. Displays of traditional musical instruments and guided tours contribute to constructing a widespread narrative, capable of involving diverse audiences.
The project is realized with the financial sponsorship of the Municipality of Martina Franca and the moral sponsorship of the Puglia Region and the Province of Taranto, conceived by the Caracciolo De Sangro Foundation, Aps Federico II, Aps Liberuomo, and Vallisa.
The initiative “Evening came and morning came” thus becomes a time to inhabit. Martina Franca embraces this movement and reflects it through its spaces, layers, and openings. A story that develops day by day, bringing forth connections, encounters, and new perspectives.