Giammonarte (ME)
In Taormina there is one of the most magical places on the island: an atelier, a home of wonders, a treasure chest of Sicilian arts, a museum of local traditions, but above all the home of an extraordinary artist.
If you love the Sicilian baroque style, this is your paradise. Yes, because here, be a coffa bag, a painting, a clutch, a votive decoration, even upon specific customization requests, you can truly find any object of desire handmade by the artist Agatino, known as Tino, Giammona.
A craftsman who does not limit himself only to creating, but who has given life to a palace decorated in every inch with every form of Sicilian art. Just pass in front of the house, in the historic center of Taormina in a small street parallel to Corso Umberto, to understand that we are faced with something truly special.
It is in Sicily that the key to everything is found.
(Johann Wolfgang von Goethe)
What appears before us is a spectacle: an entire building decorated with Sicilian frescoes and a cascade of exotic plants that envelop it. But the real surprise is inside the house, where Tino has literally covered every room with baroque friezes and crafted objects that he creates with his own hands.
Originally from Taormina, from an early age Agatino developed extraordinary skills as a painter and in the manual arts which led him to start painting inspired by the Sicilian carts and puppets, by the symbols and warm colors of popular tradition, experimenting with natural pigments that allowed him to recreate the typical shades of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.
Unstoppable, Tino also began to decorate his home, to the point of making it a real installation full of garlands of flowers and citrus fruits, paladins, sacred and profane symbols, iconic creations of a timeless past that today populate every room.
It might seem strange, but Tino really lives here, taking care of the entire setup, always in progress, with care and passion together with the many ancient and unusual objects that he loves to collect.
Among his most beloved creations, which he can send throughout Italy and abroad if necessary, are the ex-votos in the shape of a baroque heart, the straw bags depicting the motifs of Sicilian carts and the paintings and altars made with red sealing wax that imitates coral. Just fabulous.
If you already want them all for your home, here is the shop online.
The Secret
Sicilian “coffe” are typical Sicilian bags, born as simple containers for harvesting olives or for animal fodder. Today they have become true fashion icons, appreciated throughout the world for their beauty and uniqueness.
Useful Info
Giammonarte
Via Giardinazzo 43
98039 Taormina, Messina
Tel. +39 333 3153398
Visits upon booking
1 h house tour: 150 euro to share up to 8 people