The National Archaeological Museum of Reggio Calabria on 10 and 11 April hosts two days of in-depth in the context of the temporary exhibition “Cyprea. The network of Aphrodite”, on display in Piazza Paolo Orsi del Museo until 27 April.
The meetings – sponsored by the Ministry of Education of Cyprus and the Italian Ministry of Culture – are attended by scholars, teachers and international institutions.
On 10 April, at 9.00 am, the day of language workshops “The game of words”, dedicated to students from schools in the province of Reggio Calabria, with insights into the Greek, Grecanica and Greco-Cypriot languages.
The initiative – organized and coordinated by Stefania Pennacchio, artistic director of the exhibition and Vassilis Vassiliades, Cypriot artist, with the support of Claudia Ventura and Giuseppina Cassalia, MArRC officials – makes use of the scientific direction of Daniele Macris, President of the Hellenic Strait Cultural Association.
Opening the two days of work the institutional greetings of Fabrizio Sudano, Director of MArRC, and the Mayor of Reggio Calabria, Giuseppe Falcomatà.
Followed by speeches by Stefania Pennacchio and Daniele Macris, and institutional messages from the Minister of Education of Cyprus, Athena Michaelidou, and the Ambassador of Cyprus in Rome, Yiorgos Christofides.
Among the lecturers involved, Freedom Pentimalli, vice president of Jalò tu Vua, Giovanna Carbone, professor of Calabrian Greek, Spirios Antonellos, director of the Department of Culture and Education of the Ministry of Cyprus, and Maria Alexandrou, official of the Cultural Department of Cyprus.
On 11 April, at 16.00, the study day dedicated to the figure of Aphrodite and its representation in culture and art is held. After the institutional greetings of Fabrizio Sudano, Athena Michaelidou, Yiorgos Christofides and Stefania Pennacchio, experts and scholars intervene to explore the myth of the goddess from different perspectives. Giorgio Calcara, curator of the exhibition, opens with an intervention on “Cyprea: the protective shell of an idea”. Follow the reflections of Stefania Pennacchio on “Incense, milk and roses. On why contemporary art needs beauty”, by Fulvia Toscano, Director of Naxos Legge, on “Afrodite. The goddess ‘weaver of deception’ and her singers”, and Domenica Galluso, Deputy Director of the Academy of Fine Arts of Reggio Calabria, on “Aphrodite in art”. Archaeological insights are offered by Martina D’Onofrio, with “Aphrodite and the sacred: the cult of the goddess in Greek age”, by Daniela Costanzo, with “Aphrodite at Locri Epizefiri: spaces, iconographies and ritual forms”, and by Fabrizio Sudano, with an intervention on “Presence of Aphrodite in the subcolonies of Medma and Hipponion”. Giorgia Tulumello concludes the day with a study on “Aphrodite in Sicily: sacred prostitution in Erice”. The work is coordinated and moderated by Mariangela Preta, Director of the Soriano Calabro Museum.
The two days represent a unique opportunity to deepen the link between language, myth and art, creating a bridge between the ancient roots of Mediterranean culture and contemporary debate. Through interdisciplinary studies, workshops and reflections, scholars and professionals offer new keys to reading the figure of Aphrodite, highlighting its centrality in the processes of cultural and artistic transmission, from the past to today.