main index © Jeff Matthews
2002-2012
Naples Miscellany 27 (start mid-Dec 2009)
- Entries on the tradition of the Neapolitan manger
displays known as the presepe, or crib, may be found at
these links: (1)
(2) (3) (4). Additionally,
there is also a nation-wide organization,
A.I.A.P, Associazione
italiana amici del Presepio (the
alternate spelling of presepe) [Italian
Association of Friends of the Presepio]; it has
existed since 1953 and has chapters throughout
Italy and in Spain and Malta. The Naples chapter
has displays, of course, every year as Christmas
nears. This year, the chapter presents its XXIV
Display of Presepe Art on the premises of the church of San
Severo al Pendino on via Duomo. Almost 50
artists currently working in the presepe
tradition present examples of their work. The
display runs through Jan 10, but A.I.A.P. is
also sponsoring a ceremony on Feb 27 to present
awards to pupils taking part in a
presepe-building competition in schools
throughout the city. (And, incidentally, if you
have not had the chance to see the Maltese
language in print, have a look at their presepe
site.)
- (Dec 19) This is why
it takes so long to build train lines around here
(as if imperial Roman
villas at the construction site at the
whenever-to-be-opened Via Duomo station weren't
enough!) As you may see elsewhere in these pages (here & here, for example),
the number 6 underground choo-choo is making
progress along the seaside and the Villa Comunale. Down
below, the giant mechanical “mole” is eating the
earth, and workers are up on top preparing the
stations of the future. Yesterday they dug up a
skeleton. It ranks apparently as an archaeological
find—maybe a fisherman from long ago, maybe even
Roman. But they had to stop digging and call the
cops. It's probably nothing suspicious or criminal,
you understand; on the other hand, maybe this is a
job for Kathy Reichs, the real "Bones."
- (Dec 20) I don’t
know if I can digest any more news about the
splendid future of
Bagnoli, a place that makes the phrase “a
totally degraded pit” seem like precious
understatement. In any event, the announcement has
just come through that, thanks to 76 million euros
from European funds, the grand Bagnoli Green Park is
on its way to being realized. It’s true that they
said more or less the same thing 15 years ago, but
this time...just you watch. We’re talking about 120
hectares (almost 300 acres), an area as large as the
grounds of the great royal palace of Caserta, much
of it on land that used to contain the Italsider
steel mill in Bagnoli, all full of trees, flowers,
lakes and fountains. Stay tuned. Fifteen years from
now, I may have a similar notice for you. Previous
items on Bagnoli are here,
here, and here. Later items are here and here.
 (Dec 21) The
city
is
at
the
beginning
of
a
five-month
Baroque binge.
There
will
be
exhibits
and
tours
going
on
at
five
of the major museums in the city: Capodimonte, San Martino, the Villa Floridiana, the
Villa Pignatelli and the Royal Palace. From the
brochure describing it all: "Back to the Baroque
will focus on the many deeply rooted attitudes and
practices that characterized Naples in the Baroque
era...[from 1600 to 1750, when]...the city was riven
by constant contrasts of vice and virtue, poverty
and excess, criminality and
nobility...[and...]...was perceived and experienced
as a vast stage where the human condition was played
out...The Baroque thus becomes both a metaphor and a
concrete manifestation of the condition of Naples
and Neapolitans."
- (Dec 21) A calendar
for the homeless. A remarkable photographic exhibit
is underway at the church of Santa Maria Maggiore alla
Pietrasanta on via dei Tribunali in the historic
center of Naples. Twelve well-known
Neapolitans, including Olympic swimmer Massimiliano
Rosolino and singer Peppino di Capri have lent their
services and images to photographer Salvatore
Sparavigna, who has produced a calendar for the
coming year. Each month displays a stark image of
one of the twelve posed as a homeless person,
whatever that pose may entail in dress and
surroundings. The exhibit bears the name "Se mia strada fosse
stata un'altra" [lit. "If my path had been
different"—or perhaps better in English as the
expression, "There but for the grace of God go I."
The exhibit runs through Jan 7. All proceeds from
the sale of the calendars go to charities for the
homeless.
 (Dec 31) The
Milanese fashion designers, Relish, are coming under
criticism in Naples for an ad featuring this photo
(right) of a guard frisking a young woman. It has
appeared at various spots in the city, and voices in
city hall, including that of mayor Iervolino (a
woman), are calling for a ban on ads that “offend
the dignity of women.” I have seen many ads that are
worse than this, and this is the first time I’ve
heard protests. (Also see this link.)
- (Dec 31) New Year’s
Eve. We’re waiting to see if the predictions pan out
or not. Naples usually leads the list of Italian
cities for incidents in which people are injured by
fireworks. Over the past few weeks, people have been
hoarding illegal fireworks (too explosive, too
shoddily made, etc. etc.) and cops have been
confiscating them at an alarming rate. Many of the
devices hardly classify as “firecrackers”; they are
small bombs packed in paper. Many of them are
imported illegally from Asia. Authorities and
hospital ER’s around the city expect the worst.
- (Jan 1) It could
have been worse. There were 28 injuries in the city
of Naples and 41 others in the rest of the province
of Naples. Of the 69 total, 10 were children.
Elsewhere in the Campania region, Caserta reported
14 injuries; Salerno, 15. Those numbers are fewer
than last year, and almost all of the injuries were
minor burns on the hands. The fire departments were
busy, as usual.
- (Jan 2) Oops, that
was an early optimistic count. With all precincts
now reporting, 509 people in Italy showed up at
hospitals with fireworks-related injuries. Of that
number, 120 were in the Campania region and, of
those, 73 were in Naples, the capital of the region.
There were a few arrests, including one joker who
was firing an automatic rifle from his balcony.
Coppers went up and found another automatic weapon
with the serial number filed off and €125,000 in
cash. Said joker is now "assisting the authorities"
in their investigation.
- (Jan 6) The
“Federico II” University of Naples has just put
on-line a remarkable library on the camorra (the
Neapolitan version of the Mafia). There are two
centuries of history, including access to old
documents, newer essays on such things as the
language and slang of the camorra, a bibliography of
books (with reviews) that have dealt with the
subject, films, poetry and music. The site, at least
so far, is only in Italian, but if you can handle
it, here
is the link.
- (Jan 7) The
national Lotteria
Italia has been drawn, as it is every Jan.
6. The lottery awards 91 winners with sums ranging
from €500,000 (2 winners) down to €20,000 (75
winners). Interestingly, there was a 37% drop in the
number of tickets bought in Italy compared to last
year's lottery; that is strange for a people
obsessed with lotteries and systems and schemes.
None of the big winners was in Naples, but three of
the paltry €20,000 winners were. I was not one of
them. I take no pleasure in such consistency in the
universe.
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