Maria Padula - I Grew Up Free

A Tribute to Maria Padula

"I Grew Up Free" is the exhibition that Potenza dedicates to Maria Padula, one of the most significant figures in Lucanian art and culture of the 20th century. The exhibition is set up at the Galleria Civica Gerardo Cosenza, in Largo Pignatari, in the heart of the regional capital.

A painter and writer, Maria Padula was a student of the master Felice Carena and taught at the Art Institutes of Potenza and Naples, training entire generations of students. Active in the defense of women's rights, she made important contributions to the Italian cultural debate of the second half of the 20th century, leaving a profound mark on the artistic history of Basilicata.

Art, Freedom, and Female Commitment

The title of the exhibition, "I Grew Up Free", summarizes the guiding theme of the exhibition: freedom as an existential and artistic characteristic of a woman who made autonomy and civic commitment a life choice. The exhibition highlights Padula's pictorial work and her role in the cultural scene of the time, with particular attention to the themes of women's rights and freedom.

The exhibition, promoted with the support of the Municipality of Potenza, is part of the exhibition calendar of the Galleria Civica, one of the most important art spaces in the city.

Rediscovering a Great Lucanian Artist

For the public of Potenza and the Province of Potenza, the exhibition is a precious opportunity to rediscover a protagonist of regional and national art, and to reflect on the link between creativity, memory, and civic commitment.