International Contemporary Art Exhibition | Complex of the Early Christian Basilicas of Cimitile | 11–26 April 2026
From 11 to 26 April 2026, the international contemporary art exhibition “Ashes and Light: Hues of Peace in the Land of Saints” took place at the Complex of the Early Christian Basilicas of Cimitile. The exhibition was promoted by the Fondazione Premio Cimitile and the Municipality of Cimitile, with the support of the Campania Region and the Metropolitan City of Naples, and curated by Nartwork APS.
The exhibition brought together works by 27 artists from 18 countries, selected from more than 200 applications, in an exhibition project dedicated to the themes of peace, memory, transformation, and rebirth.
Art, Memory, and Rebirth
In the land of saints, where history intertwines with prayer and matter preserves the memory of the sacred, Ashes and Light offered a reflection on the dialogue between end and rebirth, darkness and revelation.
The title of the exhibition encapsulates the central concept of the project: ashes as a symbol of what remains after destruction, but also as a material from which a new possibility can emerge; light as a metaphor for hope, awareness, and renewal.
The selected artworks explored these themes through different artistic languages and sensibilities, inviting visitors to contemplate the relationship between shadow and light and the colours that emerge precisely from their contrast.
Through the dialogue between artists from diverse cultural backgrounds, the exhibition created a journey of hope, in which art became a testimony to the possibility of transforming fragility and ruins into an opportunity for change.
An International Dialogue in the Heart of Cimitile
The choice of the Early Christian Basilicas of Cimitile played a significant role in the conceptual dimension of the project. A place deeply connected to history, spirituality, and memory hosted a contemporary exhibition capable of bringing past and present, sacred heritage and artistic research into dialogue.
The 27 participating artists represented an international panorama, with artists from Italy, Germany, Norway, Slovakia, the United Kingdom, Austria, Serbia, Switzerland, Hungary, Greece, Belgium, Moldova, Romania, Ireland, France, Croatia, Poland, and Bulgaria.
This diversity of backgrounds transformed the exhibition into a space for dialogue between different cultures and perspectives, united by a shared desire to question the meaning of peace and the possibility of individual and collective renewal.
The Artists’ Reflections
A distinctive feature of the exhibition was the opportunity for visitors to engage more deeply with the artists’ thoughts and perspectives.
Each artwork was accompanied by a QR code allowing visitors to access the artist’s personal reflection on the theme of the exhibition and an interpretation of their work.
This initiative made it possible to go beyond the simple observation of the artworks, creating a more direct relationship between artists and visitors and offering additional perspectives through which to approach and understand the works on display.
Find the Artists’ Reflections on our website
The Opening and Award Ceremony
The exhibition was inaugurated on Saturday, 11 April 2026, with an opening ceremony and an award ceremony for the participating artists, bringing together artists, curators, institutions, and members of the public.
The event was attended by Felice Napolitano, President of the Fondazione Premio Cimitile; Filomena Balletta, Mayor of Cimitile; Anna Mercogliano, Councillor for Culture and Education of the Municipality of Cimitile; Elia Laia, President of the Obiettivo Terzo Millennio Association; Antonietta Panico, President of Nartwork APS; and Gianpasquale Greco, art historian.
The exhibition was curated by Rossella Bellan and Antonietta Panico, for Nartwork APS, in collaboration with art historian Gianpasquale Greco.
The Participating Artists
The artists participating in Ashes and Light: Hues of Peace in the Land of Saints were:
Giuseppe Abbate – Gama, Massimo Borrelli, Nick Böttge, Maria Rachele Branca, Massimo Carriero, Maria Danilenko, Rika Maja Duevel, Barbora Gazurova – Sharuzen, Martha Green Doran, Elke Hubmann Kniely, Isidora Jovanovski, Gerhard Kroyer, Lausen, Valentina Moravčević, Attila Olasz, Basilios Papaioannou, Alexandra Piras, Galina Poloz, Andreea Puiu – PAI – INNER LINES, Antonio Rodi Napolitano, Oksana Rohovska – Roksana, Fabien Serio – Soulstorm, Silvija Sikavica, Paulina Staniec, Iva Stefanova – IS, Dragana B. Stevanovic, and Jenny Tsoneva.
A Project for Peace Through Art
Ashes and Light: Hues of Peace in the Land of Saints represented another important step in Nartwork APS’s ongoing commitment to promoting international contemporary art and creating opportunities for dialogue between artists, territories, and different cultures.
Through the power of images, materials, and colours, the artworks offered a reflection on the possibility of starting anew and on the need to create new spaces for encounter and dialogue.
Within the historical and spiritual setting of the Early Christian Basilicas of Cimitile, the exhibition brought ashes and light, memory and future, fragility and hope into dialogue, entrusting art with the possibility of imagining new hues of peace.
