On the west coast of Calabria, along the Tyrrhenian Sea, the historic village of Diamante provides the backdrop for an open-air museum of several hundred murals painted on the buildings that line the narrow streets. The artwork varies from religious to secular, traditional to contemporary to abstract, showcasing a worldwide assemblage of artists.

In 1981, Nani Razetti, a painter from Milan who often visited Diamante, approached the mayor of the town, Evasio Pascale, with the idea that adding art to the buildings would revive the seaside village. Labeled “Operation Murales,” Razetti invited more than 80 artists to participate in the project.