Fiumara
Fiumara d'arte: an open-air museum
Hello friends, today I will talk to you about one of the largest and most important sculpture parks in Europe: Fiumara d'arte. It is an open-air museum consisting of a series of sculptures, land art installations, and interior decorations made progressively by international contemporary artists since 1982 and located along the banks of the Tusa river (stream) in Sicily.
History
The history of this open-air museum began in 1982 when real estate entrepreneur Antonio Presti commissioned sculptor Pietro Consagra to create a work in memory of his recently deceased father. The result was the sculpture "La materia poteva non esserci," a reinforced concrete work 18 meters high, completed in 1986 and located at the mouth of the Tusa stream.
After the first work was completed, Antonio Presti imagined adding more to create a sculpture park. In 1986 he founded the cultural association Fiumara d'arte, now called the Antonio Presti Foundation - Fiumara d'arte. He received the consent of local administrations and on January 30, 1988, "Una curva gettata alle spalle del tempo" by Paolo Schiavocampo was inaugurated near Castel di Lucio.
Between 1989 and 1990, four other works were placed, including "Monumento per un poeta morto" by Tano Festa, popularly known as "Finestra sul mare," located on the seafront of Villa Margi, a hamlet of the municipality of Reitano. In 1991, Antonio Presti built the Atelier sul mare hotel in Castel di Tusa, decorated by contemporary artists.
In 1991, in Pettineo, the first edition of "Un chilometro di tela" was organized, during which dozens of artists created their works that were then cut and given to the citizens of Pettineo, to create the "Museo domestico," a kind of museum made by the citizens themselves.
Works
Fiumara d'arte consists of twelve distinct sites distributed over an area of over twenty kilometers in length. The works were created by contemporary artists from around the world, creating a unique and varied artistic journey. "La materia poteva non esserci" is the first work created by Pietro Consagra, but there are numerous other sculptures such as "La porta dell'incontro" by Alberto Burri located on the small island in front of the town of Mistretta, "Testa di Medusa" by Giuseppe Ducrot located on the hill in Reitano, "Il mare dentro" by Carla Accardi, "Casa delle farfalle" by Gillo Dorfles and "La sedia del pensiero" by Renato Barisani.
Events
In addition to the permanent works, Fiumara d'arte hosts numerous cultural events to promote contemporary art, such as the Biennale of Contemporary Sculpture, which had four editions between 1994 and 2003, where dozens of artists from around the world dedicate themselves to creating new works to add to the existing sculpture park.
Conclusion
Fiumara d'arte is a unique and fascinating place where nature and culture meet, an example of how contemporary art can perfectly integrate with the natural landscape. Thanks to Antonio Presti and the local administrations who believed in this project, today we can enjoy this magical place that offers us a wonderful opportunity to discover and appreciate contemporary art. Don't miss the opportunity to visit Fiumara d'arte if you have the chance to do so!
