Among brushes, colors, and carts, Michele Ducato, born in 1972, spends his days painting on wood. This is an art he learned from his father, Giuseppe, at just six years old. He would spend his days with him, creating paintings on carts using oil colors to “tell” stories of heroic deeds, religious scenes, and operatic works.

We are in Bagheria, a well-known town just a few kilometers from Palermo, nestled between the mountains and the sea. Here, at 36 Via Finocchiaro Aprile, is Michele’s workshop, once belonging to his paternal grandfather, also named Michele. He had four sons, to whom he passed down this magnificent art.

Everyone has passed through here: from Carlo Levi to Renato Guttuso, eager to learn the secrets of this precious craft and tell its story, for instance, in the book Words Are Stones. Not only intellectuals and artists but also farmers and foreigners have visited.

But that’s not all—one afternoon in 2016, Michele received an email. The sender? The renowned brand Dolce&Gabbana, which sought out the artist for a collaboration that lasted until recently. For them, Michele painted on refrigerators and other items, including panettone boxes and more.

The Sicilian cart, one of Sicily’s most iconic symbols that emerged in the 19th century, carries with it a unique strength thanks to its decorative language, the result of in-depth and meticulous study that requires time and passion. Passion is something that radiates from the artist’s words, and he generously wishes to share it. This led to the idea of working with a group of students from Cefalù. Starting next month, Michele will paint a Sicilian cart together with these students, which will then be displayed at the art high school.

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