Forgotten L’Aquila

Two weeks ago I have been in the red zone of L‘Aquilawith USK correspondent Benedetta Dossi and many other sketchers from Treviso, Bologna, Firenze, Roma, Latina and Napoli, to document the abandone of this beautifull historical town in central Italy after last year’s earthquake. Firemen and some citizens accompained us.The area is still under military control.

This is the first italian earthquake that has yet not deserved a special law and money to rebuild old houses. Only 1/3 of the 65.000 homeless had new houses from the government, faraway and with no infrastructures. A big scandal occurred on how the money has been spent.

I found this sheet music in front of a house where all furniture where still scattered around after walls exploded. What a tough experience. No time to finish or to scan any drawing as we all gave our sketchbooks at the end of the day for an exhibit in Pescasseroli, a small town in the same region.

Official media has hidden the fact that entire centers have been abandoned with no hope of reconstruction. Just today italian newspaper Corriere della Sera started a video reportage in five parts that title “Forgotten L’Aquila”.

The event and the blog Una carriola di disegni has been organized by Marco Preziosi, naturalistic illustrator from Rome. It has been the biggest reunion of sketchers in Italy so far. Hopefully it will help to draw attention to it.