Ugo Prestopino for Arte & Caffè 2025
Ugo Prestopino was born in Messina on September 13, 1991.From the age of 2, Ugo began to communicate and interact primarily through drawing; he spoke very little, often using decontextualized phrases, but managed to create connections with others and maintain attention by drawing. He focused mainly on fairy tale characters inspired by illustrated books and, later, animated cartoons.Around the age of five, Ugo was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder. However, as his family and therapist, Dr. Francesca Monforte, a child neuropsychiatrist, gained awareness of his condition, they also recognized that drawing and the use of color could serve as a genuine function for expressing thoughts and engaging with the world. Alongside traditional therapies, Ugo was encouraged to express his emotions through art therapy courses and to use drawing as a tool for learning communication and building relationships, particularly by creating personalized "social stories."Driven by the desire to find his mode of expression in the world, Ugo graduated from the Art Institute of Messina in 2010 with a score of 97/100. In 2012, he joined the Ceramic and Decoupage Workshop at the Autism Day Center in Nizza di Sicilia.There, under the guidance of master ceramicist Santa Gregorio, Ugo discovered his talent for artistic decoration on ceramics. He developed a particular appreciation for detailed precision and motifs inspired by traditional Sicilian designs. Later, with artist Cristina Maimone, a graduate of the Rome Academy of Fine Arts and also active at the Nizza Day Center, Ugo found the freedom to express himself on canvas. Under her creative and egalitarian guidance, Ugo began creating vibrant, colorful paintings, including his distinctive “red-haired women,” which he adorned with extravagant necklaces and earrings.Since November 2018, Ugo has been a founding member of "Audacia," a type B social cooperative based in Messina. Led by President Carmelo Caporlingua, the cooperative promotes social and professional inclusion for young and adult individuals with autism.In August 2020, during the pandemic, the Audacia Cooperative boldly opened the “SogniinBlu” Artistic Ceramics Workshop-Store at Via Principe Umberto, 69, in Messina. There, Ugo and his fellow members create, including custom orders, professional ceramic items, wooden objects, and favors, guided by art masters.In August 2021, the Audacia Social Cooperative expanded its mission, offering further opportunities for social and professional integration through the “Social Gardens of the Sant’Anna di Bordonaro Estate.” Ugo works there a few days each week, blending his love for nature with his passion for creating ceramics and paintings.In addition to his love of drawing and painting, which remains his primary passion and mode of emotional expression, Ugo also practices horseback riding. He began equine therapy at the age of 9 and transitioned to dressage at 12. In 2011, he became the Regional Paralympic Dressage Champion on his horse, Giselle. He continues to ride regularly and enthusiastically at the Ferretti Riding Center in Messina.Ugo’s story is that of a strong man who, as a fragile child once defined by a diagnosis of autism, demonstrated that determination and passion—his being for drawing and painting—could establish a meaningful way to relate to the “neurotypical world.” By embracing the uniqueness of his expression, he achieved the dignity of work and social recognition we all aspire to. His love for colors helped him carve his path to a dignified life, free to express his enduring hope of being a happy individual, always affirming, as he has since childhood: “I can do it!”When Art SpeaksWith a focused intent on promoting inclusion, Caffè Barbera has dedicated its upcoming calendar for the New Year—2025—to Art and the power of communication inherent in the Arts, particularly the visual arts. Beyond conveying a universal truth, this project reaches toward a higher goal: showcasing the art of those who create with their own unique language and sensitivity, overcoming limitations to achieve something special.The 2025 Calendar will be as special as Ugo Prestopino, the artist who illustrated it. Before understanding Ugo and his training—and gaining the tools to listen to his message without filters—I met him.In a magical, fairytale-like world between land and sea, the protagonist of his story is a woman—a fairy? A mermaid? Or perhaps the one woman who, from the first moment of life and even before that, lives within us and we within her, with us and beyond us forever? Or is she a tribute to those who guided him on his artistic journey and helped him express himself? Or all of them together?Beautiful, with her bright, wide eyes and heart-shaped lips, she offers us a message of joy, carefree and without drama, in a virtuous game where the coffee cup with its message appears and disappears. In one painting, Ugo is beside her—it can only be him. The two seem so closely connected that they appear as one, an extension of each other, sharing the meaning of everything.Thank you, Ugo.