Religious tourism and historical routes: immersive journey to Palazzo Madama through the eyes of the Shroud
PRESS RELEASE
RELIGIOUS TOURISM AND HISTORICAL ROUTES: IMMERSIVE JOURNEY TO PALAZZO MADAMA THROUGH THE EYES OF THE SHROUD
AN INTERACTIVE PROJECT TO RAISE AWARENESS FOR SUSTAINABLE, ACCESSIBLE AND SPIRITUAL TRAVEL
Religious, inclusive and sustainable tourism is at the heart of the ‘Via Francigena for all' project with the exhibition, "In cammino. La porta di Torino: itinerari sindonici sulla Via Francigena” (On the Road. The Gateway of Turin: Shroud itineraries on the Via Francigena), taking place at Palazzo Madama - Museo Civico d'Arte Antica in Turin from 13 July to 10 October.
It is a multi-disciplinary and interactive exhibition, a true virtual journey that progresses from history to the present day with an open-air perspective, where the community and its territory become a welcom-ing 360-degree experience.
The Museo Civico d'Arte Antica and the Carlo Acutis Foundation, in collaboration with the Piedmont Re-gion, have created the exhibition.
ENIT supports the project which features the Via Francigena as one of the highest expressions of the pro-motion of religious and inclusive tourism and as an opportunity to highlight one of Italy's most important pilgrimage routes: those that cross Piedmont with the exhibition-trail that tells the story of the area, showcasing the historical and contemporary significance of the region, home of the Holy Shroud and gateway to the Peninsula along the Via Francigena pilgrimage route.
The journey is complemented by a reflection on the theme of the pilgrim – those who make a pilgrimage for material, body and spirit salvation – and the journey of the Saints of Charity from St. John Bosco and St. Giuseppe Cafasso to St. Giuseppe Benedetto Cottolengo and Blessed Piergiorgio Frassati and Blessed Carlo Acutis and proposes a series of encounters with the soul of the region through a visual exploration of its basic themes.
The exhibition is organised in four sections, each connected to a specific theme. The first section presents sixteen original illustrations, created by young Italian artists who are now recognised worldwide. A series of works that are inspired by the concepts of pilgrimage, spirituality, the Holy Shroud, the pathways, and the Saints of Charity, but also the essential morphological aspects of Piedmont and the relationship between man, nature and food. The second section features a series of videos specially made to illustrate the Via Francigena and the Shroud itineraries, allowing visitors to immerse themselves in the landscapes of the visited places. In the third section, a large interactive map highlights the paths of the ‘Via Francigena for all’ project and the Shroud paths illustrated in Sisto Giriodi's book, Le altre Sindoni (The other Shrouds). The map is accompanied by photographs of the dozens of shrouds frescoed on the exterior walls of buildings along the Piedmontese paths. These works are little known even by many Piedmontese, despite the fact that they constitute a remarkable example of popular devotion, and a cycle of art spanning three centuries. Finally, in the fourth section, an installation conceived by the Turinese artist Carlo Gloria on the theme of the walk is on display.
The exhibition in the medieval courtyard of Palazzo Madama is designed to offer the public an engaging and interactive experience and to raise awareness of pilgrimage, spirituality and nature, while promoting sustainable and inclusive tourism.
‘Piedmont strongly supports religious tourism, and we have enhanced it by making it more accessible by joining the Via Francigena For All programme, which extends the culture of welcoming people in difficulty,’ according to Piedmont Region President Alberto Cirio and Tourism and Culture Councillor Vittoria Poggio.
‘Since 2022, the Foundation has been promoting projects inspired by the powerful message conveyed by the Shroud, an internationally renowned treasure. With the exhibition linked to the 'Via Francigena for all' project, the fruitful public-private partnership is thus consolidated,’ states Adriana Acutis, Vice President of the Carlo Acutis Foundation.
‘An exhibition exploring the itineraries of the region that hosts one of the most significant devotional images of the Holy Shroud, which was commissioned here by the first Madama, Duchess Christine of France,’ declares Massimo Broccio President of the Fondazione Torino Musei.
‘Expanding Italy's potential by narrating its every detail in depth to offer different narrative and knowledge insights is central to the creation of an increasingly widespread tourism in temporal and spatial terms,’ state Ivana Jelinic and Sandro Pappalardo, respectively ENIT CEO and Board Member.
WHERE: Palazzo Madama – Museo Civico d’Arte Antica
Corte Medievale
Piazza Castello – Turin
WHEN: 13 July – 10 October 2023