Social injustice, marginalisation, and ethical-moral dilemmas are recurring themes in Silvestri's production, starting with his paintings on the death penalty, abortion, torture, and moving on to drug addiction, illness, refugees, war... This sensitivity and awareness comes from the dedication to social commitment of Marcello and his family.
The experience with the abandoned children of the "Repubblica dei Ragazzi" (Republic of the Children) in Civitavecchia in the 60s and 70s, profoundly marked Marcello's life choices and his artistic production and informs his ongoing volunteer work in multiple settings.
Marcello has been running every Saturday the Art in Jail programme at the Civitavecchia jail since 2016. It is an ecumenical project to explore the sacred through art workshops involving painting and meditation. The “Prisons and Faiths” conference jointly organised in 2017 by the Baptist Church, the prison service and the Catholic diocese of Civitavecchia showcased an exhibition of individual and collective paintings by the inmates produced under the supervision of and in collaboration with Marcello. See below the poster and various articles on this initiative published by the Italian Protestant magazine Riforma (2017 and 2023). Here the Italian Catholic daily Avvenire and news Agency Agensir. Italian pastors Aprile and Maffei also held this webinar reflecting on this experience with Marcello.
Led by the same spirit are the weekly art-based meditations and dialogues with the youth undergoing drug addiction rehabilitation programmes at the Mondo Nuovo Onlus Community. Here some examples of the artworks and written reflections utilised by Marcello in these sessions, published in the Mondo Nuovo magazine Il Faro.