Many famous artists and musicians hail from Sicily, and Franco Battiato (photographed during a TV special I watched in May) is perhaps the most famous one from his generation. He was born in Riposto, a seaside town between Catania and Taormina, in 1945. Known as “Il Maestro,” or The Master, he is a performing songwriter, music producer, and a visial artist (under the pseudonym Süphan Barzani). Really, he’s a modern day philosopher whose influence on current artists runs deep. Having started presenting public works in the late 1960s, his discography is lengthy and varied. He is a living legend!
