Arts at the Masseria
In its history, driven by the strong passion for music of the hosts, the Masseria has been the stage for numerous artistic performances, as if magnetically attracted by the climate of quiet and unique ferment of the countryside, which, radiated by the notes, crystallized those present in a unique atmosphere; in a dream in the hills.
It was in the musical sphere that Masseria Pernice found its ideal identity; in particular facilitated by Costanza Mastrogiovanni Tasca, XII Princess of Camporeale, for many years president of the “Amici del Teatro Massimo” association, which marked the beginning of the long concert tradition of the Masseria; later cultivated animatedly by children and grandchildren.
Music as the highest form of celebration of natural rhythms and ceremonies has always played a leading role in the history of the Masseria; for over ten years, the piano, accompanied by ever-changing voices and instruments, has traditionally accompanied the end of the harvest period: a well-deserved rest for the whole earth and for those who placed hope and energy in it.
There were several artists who found their ideal executive dimension in the Masseria, including the beloved Sicilian tenor Vincenzo La Scola, who was so fascinated by that land that he chose to live a few meters from the farm, the Juanjo Dominguez Trio, who with warmth of Argentine guitars inaugurated the stage of the great hall.
Salvatore Bonafede, attracted by the colors and shades of the farm in autumn, was the first to bring Jazz to Pernice, followed a few years later by Irene Ientile and Ornella Cerniglia, a Sicilian duo of voice and piano with the Jazz-Folk concert dedicated to Pietro Paolo , who passed away that year.
More recently, the last generation of the family has further expanded the range of musical genres, organizing three spring and summer concerts under the artistic direction of Paolo Sallier de La Tour; the Alternative rock by the Marraffa-Tasca-Crocivera Trio, the Balkan all to dance by the Balca Bandanica and the disruptive Afro-beat by the A.F.A. in a synergy of artists-friends joined in the Bolognese period of studies.
In 2017 the Masseria also hosted Tom Yorke, leader and frontman of Radiohead, for two weeks.
Pernice’s capacity for universal artistic adaptation is proven by the enormous success and peculiarity of the events organized, in the total symbiosis between Art and Nature, intrinsically linked in a dazzle of the senses, mirroring each other in a single splendor.
Historic property, Pernice, is situated in a pastoral landscape in north-eastern Sicily surrounded by lakes, olive groves, and vineyards. The tranquility of Pernice encourages a slower pace that is conducive to reflection and rediscovery. It is this unique stillness and connection to the land that inspired one of Pernice’s heirs, Paolo Sallier de La Tour, to found an artist residency program. Paolo is an artist with a practice that varies between painting and floral installations. He serves as the Managing Director of the Residency and is a graduate of the Accademia delle Belle Arti, Bologna. While deciding how to meld his family agricultural traditions with his own training as an artist, he engaged international curator, Dr. Cornelia Lauf to advise on the formation of a Sicilian workshop based in a rural reality no less complex than any urban environment. Cornelia brings her global cultural network to Pernice.
“As a painter, I couldn’t ask for a better place to live. I’ve had the incredible luck to be born and to
grow up in such a particular and magic location, learning to understand the passage of seasons,
watching-flowers, trees, and seeds becoming fruits.
Probably colour is so important for me as it is the vibrant mirror in which we recognize Nature’s
rhythm.
I’ve studied abroad but I will always come back here, where light talks to you in a rare and clear way,
and you can truthfully find yourself in its reflection.”
Paolo Sallier de La Tour
Pernice Residence Project
The Pernice Residency is a haven in which to explore bold ideas, and emerge with a new trajectory. The Foundation chooses artists from various backgrounds, cultures, and traditions. Each residency participant is given the opportunity to experience the quietude that permits self-reflection and crystallizes one’s personal creative vision while providing reserved time for the pursuit of artistic process and project development. At the conclusion of the residency, the Foundation acquires a portion of the artists’ work as the start of a Pernice Collection. In addition, the artists’ work and documentation of time spent at the Foundation will be included in the annual Pernice Residency Foundation catalog publication which is to be distributed internationally.
Residency novembre 2019
Dennis Balk
Residency november 2021
Robert Violette
Residency march 2023
Nicolas Boulard
The Music
Music is perhaps the Masseria Pernice’s most cherished art form, owing in great part to Costanza Mastrogiovanni Tasca, 12th Princess of Camporeale, who chaired the association “Amici del Teatro Massimo” for many years. Costanza launched the concert season at the Masseria Pernice, a tradition which continues to this today by her children and grandchildren. Another great example of music playing a central role at the Masseria Pernice are annual musical events, such as piano recitals and choir concerts, that mark the end of the grape harvest. These events have been organized for over a decade and represent a well-earned rest for the land, as well as the people investing their time and hopes in it.