Throughout 2026, the Cittadellarte Journal is hosting a series of interviews with the Foundation's collaborators and staff, who are asked to answer an identical set of questions. Cittadellarte in the Mirror – this is the name of the column – acts as an exercise in listening and self-reflection that spans different roles, practices, and sensibilities, offering a plural portrait of the Cittadellarte organism. The questions touch upon some of the most urgent issues of our time – from social transformation to responsibility, from education to indifference, from the risk of artistic action to the possibility of reactivating empathy – and function as a mirror: they do not seek definitive answers, but ask the respondents to take a stand, to put themselves out there, and to question their own role in the present.

In this 23rd episode, the mirror turns to Martina Salvemini, a guide at Cittadellarte and a student on the Sustainable Fashion Design course at the Unidee Academy of Fine Arts. Her path stems from an interest in fashion and its potential for transformation towards more sustainable models. A Communication graduate, she explores the relationship between creativity, materials, and sustainability through photography, sewing, and upcycling, with a particular focus on the potential of textiles as a space for research and innovation.

In her answers, change is articulated through small daily gestures, listening to differences, and the conviction that every experience can take on the guise of a seed to be carried elsewhere, just as happens in a beehive. Here is how, for Martina, one can observe, learn, and create connections by taking what has been gathered along the way and carrying it elsewhere.

2025 closed as a year in which the word “transition” seemed to have lost its strength, replaced by a widespread sense of weariness and a return to the logics of power, war, and isolation. In this context, does it still make sense to talk about responsible social transformation, or do we need to change our vocabulary and rethink our practices?
There is a great sense of urgency because the hope of building a better world is the very reason that keeps us going as human beings: being incurable optimists. I often wonder why, if a part of me is already convinced that we are doomed, the other part keeps doing what I do: studying to find more sustainable solutions for the environment, but above all for people. Then I realise that this is precisely the sign of the spark of hope that is still inside me, and which perhaps nothing can extinguish, because it is intrinsic to our being human. Another important reason why I believe it is fundamental to talk about social transformation is that, unfortunately, even today the majority of people in the world live in tragic conditions. I am convinced that until we are all in a position to have the same opportunities, we cannot stop talking about social transformation and acting to be part of the change.

Once again this year, Cittadellarte has operated on both a local and global level: from China to the borderlands of Europe, from the Mediterranean to East Asia. Bringing an installation or a demopratic work to places loaded with history, conflict, or symbolism exposes art to unpredictable interpretations. How important is it for the Foundation to accept this risk?
I believe it is fundamental to bring art to the rest of the world. The real challenge, however, is doing so whilst managing to engage in a dialogue with other cultures, without overwhelming them and without adopting an attitude of superiority, as if our culture were better than others. It is not. Art is one of the few disciplines capable of transcending geographical, cultural, and linguistic boundaries, and precisely for this reason, it also carries a great responsibility: that of creating bridges, not hierarchies. The difference, therefore, lies not in bringing art elsewhere, but in how one does it: with respect, listening, and the awareness that every culture has something precious to teach us.

In 2026, what does it mean to educate for responsibility in a world where algorithms, artificial intelligence, and automation seem to be taking up more and more of the space for conscious human action and, in this sense, authorship?
In my opinion, we are struggling to deal with this new technology because we do not really know it yet, and what we do not know frightens us. But the problem is not just that. Today, the artificial intelligence being used is following logics that are increasing inequalities between people and worsening our environmental impact. For this reason, I believe it is fundamental for everyone to acquire the tools to understand what artificial intelligence is, how it works, and what consequences it can have. Only greater awareness will allow us to direct it towards goals that put people's well-being at the centre, rather than technological progress alone. I hope that in the future we will manage to use it to free ourselves from the most monotonous, repetitive, and wearing jobs, leaving more room for creativity and critical thinking.

During your time spent at Cittadellarte, what do you feel you have unlearned? Is there a conviction that you would let go of today compared to the past?
I have unlearned boxing people into well-defined categories.

Let us try to consider Cittadellarte as a living organism. Which part do you feel is most fragile today? And which, on the other hand, is more mature than you would have imagined?
I do not see a more fragile part and a more mature part in Cittadellarte. I would visualise this place as a beehive, from which every bee can take a bit of honey, nourish itself, and treasure experiences, skills, and friendships, only to then go and pollinate new flowers, carrying that baggage elsewhere.

We live in a time where we are exposed daily to images of extreme pain, yet we often remain motionless. What kind of emotion is indifference? If the latter were a work of art, would you destroy it like a breaking of Pistoletto's mirror?
I believe that indifference has many facets and that, at times, it becomes a defence mechanism in the face of the continuous bombardment of negative news we receive every day. On one hand, I would destroy indifference like one of Pistoletto's mirrors, because I believe it forces us to look inside ourselves and recognise our responsibility. On the other hand, however, I think it is more important to help people find a cause they truly care about, rather than judging or insulting them because they seem indifferent to what is happening in the world. I firmly believe that if everyone thought their contribution was useless, then nothing would ever change. Having said that, it is much easier said than done. Championing a cause day after day requires energy and often becomes tiring, especially when one has to balance it with mental health and the challenges of daily life.

In the dominant and media narrative of conflicts, numbers often replace faces. What responsibility does art have in restoring humanity where political language erases it? Can art reactivate empathy without falling into the spectacularisation of pain? Let us also bear in mind that the word of the year for 2025, according to the Oxford Dictionary, is "Rage Bait", which denotes content created to provoke anger and indignation, particularly on social media.
I believe that art is extremely important for reactivating empathy because, as I said earlier, it is the only universal language capable of touching people deeply. Precisely for this reason, I believe that art must feel this responsibility on its shoulders. As Pistoletto says, we are all artists and, as such, we have the responsibility to create connections and bring about change. I therefore believe it is fundamental to give a voice to those who are currently suffering and to offer a platform so that those who are living through the tragedies of today's world can speak in the first person. This is the only way to avoid falling into the spectacularisation of pain: not appropriating other people's stories, but leaving the stage to those who have more competence and more right than us to tell what they are experiencing.

When you turn off the lights in your office, which emotion remains lit?
When I turn off the lights, the emotion that remains lit is the joy of seeing such diverse people meet and share a piece of life because they are united by similar values.