Moving away from beaches for a while we’re heading to the isolated town of Orgosolo.
Hidden in the midst of 1,000-metre-high mountains, surrounded by wild pine forests and a byword for lawlessness and kidnappers, Orgosolo is also an open air art gallery thanks to hundreds of murals that cover every wall, house and shop.
Paintings can be found on walls all over Orgosolo. Above the many roles of women are celebrated – workers, mothers and lovers.
Whether it is pointing out the hypocrisy of giving charity without supporting countries to develop themselves or advocating for women’s rights, each picture tells a very charged story.
The first mural in Orgosolo was signed by Dioniso in 1969: Dioniso was the collective name of a group of anarchists.
Since then they have reflected Sardinia’s political struggles but also deal with international issues as well as portraying the traditional island ways of life.
Orgosolo and the surrounding villages are infamous due to its lawless past full of bandits and kidnappers.
It is based in the central region known as Barbagia and, fittingly enough, the name comes from Cicero who described it as a land of barbarians.
At one time Orgosolo was known as the village of the murderers due to its high crime rate!
Given the rather reckless driving of some of the locals, it could still claim a fair few unwitting tourist scalps!
More to come from this rough and ready open air art gallery . . .
