Guido van Helten has painted a triptych on the central walls of the Rione delle Fornelle, a neighbourhood in Salerno’s historic centre. The work concludes a four-wall project for the Fondazione Alfonso Gatto, developed from photographs he made while spending time in the neighbourhood.
Van Helten says he travelled in and out of Salerno from November through February 2026, working with the guidance of Greenpino, an artist closely associated with the Fornelle’s painted walls. He shot more than 20 rolls of film during his reportage, developing and scanning them with a portable setup before bringing the project to the walls. (salerno.corriere.it)
The artist also thanks the Fornellesse—the women who welcomed him into their homes—and names several residents who shared meals and time with him. Those encounters are central to his account of how the murals came about. He does not describe the triptych as a portrait of any particular person.
The new paintings join Muri d’Autore – Parco della Poesia di Strada, the Fondazione Alfonso Gatto’s long-running project in the Rione delle Fornelle. Its walls carry poetry and artworks made with artists including Greenpino. Van Helten’s contribution brings his neighbourhood reportage into that setting, across four walls rather than a single façade. (salernoonline.eu)
Images via @guidovanhelten on Instagram.