Tim Saunders A painting by a British artist Richard Whincop has been stolen in Italy. Richard from West Sussex is in the seventh week of an eight week painting project in Cosenza, the historic coastal town. He is working on his last painting. His first three works have been mounted on walls of buildings in the old city. “Yesterday one of them was stolen,” reveals Richard. “It must have been a very organised theft because the picture is a heavy fibreglass/plaster panel 3 x 2 metres that was bolted onto the wall three metres above ground level. It happened between 12.30pm and 1.15pm. The police are searching for it and it looks set to be featured in the Italian media.” “This project sees five figurative artists each painting five pictures, which will collectively tell the story of the city of Cosenza. We are each to represent the various powers that ruled Southern Italy at different times, reflecting our own countries of origin: the native Bruzi (John Picking), the Normans (myself), the Swabians (Silvia Pecha), the house of Anjou (Alexandre Barbera Ivanoff) and the house of Aragon (Gregorio Dominguez Gonzales (‘Goyo')). So it is an international ensemble of artists. We have about 10 days for each painting, which because of the size of the panels and the complexity of the designs means rapid work. It is a considerable challenge so I have prepared thoroughly.” The idea is to create an outdoor historical museum that will help locals to learn about and take pride in their own historical legacy and also encourage foreign tourists to visit Cosenza, to help boost the local economy. The paintings will complement and make reference to the city's architectural legacy - including a medieval hilltop castle and a fine cathedral.
