San Giorgio, benches painted with cartoons from Troisi films

Starting Monday, January 13th, cartoonist Giuseppe Avolio, known as Peppart, will paint seven benches on Via Flotard De Lauzieres in San Giorgio a Cremano with scenes from the films of Massimo Troisi, an actor and director born and raised in the Vesuvian town where he began his career. The scenes are from the films Ricomincio da Tre, Scusate I'm Late, Non ci resta che piangere, Pensavo fosse amore invece era un Calesse, and Il Postino (The Postman), and will feature caricatures of the films' main characters. In addition to Troisi, Roberto Benigni, Lello Arena, and others will be depicted. The project, promoted by the municipal administration, is part of the collateral initiatives of the Massimo Troisi Award, at the suggestion of artistic director Gino Rivieccio. "The Troisi-themed benches represent a further tribute that the City of San Giorgio a Cremano intends to pay to the great Massimo," explains Mayor Giorgio Zinno, "and are part of a broader project that is transforming the city into a true traveling museum dedicated to him, giving an increasingly strong identity to the area I saw born and to which Massimo always demonstrated a strong bond. As part of the 2019 Troisi Award, we planned, with artistic director Gino Rivieccio, collateral initiatives that would honor the great Massimo, and this represents a double opportunity, as it also enhances our street furniture." Pietro De Martino, Councilor for Culture, also expressed his support for the initiative: "With these themed benches, we're not only celebrating the city's connection to Massimo, but also making our San Giorgio even more attractive, making it truly unique. It's clear that these benches will represent true works of art that must be preserved with a strong civic sense and a deep sense of belonging." For this reason, the administration urges everyone to protect and safeguard these benches, preventing acts of vandalism.