Abby Cali / MFA Illustration Practice ‘21
Il Castello Incantato
2020
Mixed Media
Il Castello Incantato, The Enchanted Castle, is a powerful destination in Sicily filled with over 1,000 carved stone heads. This illustration shows the sense of fear and excitement I felt when I first walked into the cavern at age thirteen, as if I were transported to a place of magic and secrets. Filippo Bentivegna, the artist who carved these heads, was not recognized during his lifetime as an artist. Only after his death when his family opened his land to visitors did Bentivegna's home become seen as a feat of labor, artistry, and mystery. I reference Bentivegna's carved cave in this piece, adding my own twist of magic and secrets to this Mediterranean island that I find so mystical and yet so familiar.
As I dive more deeply into my family's heritage and explore my own practice more thoroughly, I am beginning to combine my Sicilian roots with 3-dimensional physical artwork. The figure in this piece is a felt sculpture with a hand-crafted sword and animal charm. The rest of the piece was done in ink and digital painting.
