Welcome to Palazzo Biscari, home of the Parco dei Saperi in Mirabella Imbaccari, where the permanent exhibition “What Remains” invites visitors on a fascinating journey through ancient garments and textiles, conceived as an ideal bridge between East and West.

The exhibition, made possible by the generous donation of art historian Martina Corgnati, begins with a striking visualization of the globe mapping the origin of each artifact, guiding the visitor from Africa through the Middle East and Asia to Japan.

The narrative opens with a Maghrebi wedding tunic from Nabeul, Tunisia, made of écru linen embroidered with motifs evoking fertility and prosperity through the colors of the sun and dates. Alongside these distant traditions, the exhibition celebrates local identity with a monumental collective lacework in bobbin lace, created in 2025 by the lacemakers of Mirabella, heir to the tradition introduced by Angelina Auteri in the early 20th century.

The journey continues through Egypt with a black glossy cotton dress embroidered with cross-stitched roses, designed for foreign travelers. From Sinai comes a garment with geometric blue and red embroidery, while Syria introduces a natural indigo cotton male robe, symbol of refinement and quality.

The path enters the nomadic world with the Thob abou irdân from the Negev desert, in black cotton satin, symbolically protected by blue embroidery against the evil eye. Nearby, a precious Palestinian burqa adorned with antique coins and amber. From Kurdistan comes the Ciapan in raw silk dyed with cochineal, while Syria offers the Abayah, a ceremonial red wool jacket enriched with polychrome silk embroidery.

In Central Asia, the Turkmen Tchirpy reveals symbolic meanings linked to age and life through the tree-of-life motif. From Iran come essential nomadic garments, while Uzbekistan presents the Samarkand Chapan in ikat silk, “cloud-like” in its vibrant textures. Tibet contributes a blue silk robe with lishui embroidery evoking the universal ocean.

From Burma arrives a wedding tunic decorated with woven seeds, followed by Japan with a refined Furisode kimono in silk once belonging to Milva, adorned with cranes symbolizing longevity. The exhibition concludes with two powerful expressions of identity and status: a Maasai male leather apron with beadwork and the solemn West African Boubou Kike, decorated with calligraphic motifs and a large symbolic spiral.

A textile journey that becomes a narrative of the world, its cultures, and its deepest identities.