After being rejected by the administration of the French city of Calais, the artwork Voyage à Calais. Un’opera sans papier by artist Alessio Patalocco has finally found a home at MABOS, the Museum of Art of the Sila Forest, in Calabria. Created in 2016 in collaboration with Amnesty International Italy, the work addresses the themes of migration and hospitality, recounting the journey and challenges faced by those who are turned away.
Made of metal and consisting of 13 folded panels evoking a wall, a ribbon, and the remains of a boat, the installation has travelled through France and Italy, passing through institutions such as the MUCEM in Marseille and the MACRO in Rome, before finding a permanent home in the Sila Forest in Calabria.
The story of the artwork is now the focus of the book Voyage à Calais. Un’opera sans papier, published by Edizioni Albatros in 2026, in which Patalocco retraces the history of the project, from initial approval to political rejection, and finally to its new home in Calabria. A narrative that invites reflection on the role of art, the relationship with outsiders, and the need to combat indifference.
The book will be presented on Thursday, October 15, 2026, at 11 a.m., at Palazzina Valitutti, Unistrapg, in the presence of the author. Faculty members from the University for Foreigners of Perugia, representatives from Amnesty International Italy, and director Michelangelo Garrone, who has made a short film dedicated to the artwork, will also participate.
