Salvatore Sapienza was born in Catania in 1980. His passion for the decorative arts started when he was only 13 years old. His story as a decorator of Sicilian carts began by chance, when he painted an old wheel. After restoring the wheel and painting it, his father showed it to two veteran decorators. It was the beginning of a long story about art, love and craftsmanship and luckily has never ended. Salvatore began working with the decorators, Domenico Di Mauro and Antonio Zappalà, in their workshop. Di Mauro was his master and his mentor, teaching him all the tricks of the trade. He quickly fell in love with cart art and soon it blossomed into his great passion. With sacrifice and great effort, Salvatore has made over 30 Sicilian carts. Today Salvatore works in a fruit shop he took over from his grandfather 12 years ago. Who knows what he will create if in the future he finds time to indulge in his greatest passion every day.

Enamel and oil, 60 x 151 x 68.2 cm The surface of this refrigerator, distinguished by the brilliant green that serves as a background for furling ribbon motifs (a cartocci), is a tribute to traditional Sicilian cart painting. On the side panels are two blazing suns, with the front features a genre scene with young people drinking and playing cards. The top is decorated with a view of Etna, symbol of Nature’s power. The fertility of the Sicilian soil is referenced by brightly coloured cameos with lemons, oranges, prickly pears, olives, pistachios and grapes, both white and black.