Rebirth of Maddalena’s historical vineyard, and land art.
Saturday, Cinque Terre’s largest and most ancient vineyard gets newly baptised. With an organic art installation by Marco Nones
(Monterosso al Mare, 03 Apr 18) Countdown in Monterosso for the new inauguration of the Maddalena Hermitage's historical vineyard, one of the largest and most ancient in Cinque Terre. The morning of this special event will be marked by spirituality, art, beauty and tasting, to celebrate the rebirth of the vineyard. The art installation "A radici scoperte, il bosco sottosopra" will accompany the event; its author, the best known representative of Italian Land Art, created it using materials from his Trentino wood.
Nones' installation shows the stories that life weaves in the depths, to celebrate the rebirth of the vineyard. This piece of land art, created using strawberry tree's shrubs and roots, looks over the Ligurian sea from the upper village. Eremo della Maddalena - a tourism facility amid olive groves and vineyards that encourages the contemplation of nature, set in a historical dwelling by a small church - will inaugurate the installation by Marco Nones, winner of Premio d'arte Expo 2015 and founder of the Art Park of the Fiemme Dolomites "RespirArt", on Saturday 7 April 2018 at 11 am, with an event dedicated to art and wine. The Hermitage's courtyard will host numerous sommeliers, tastings, and an exhibition of wine labels. The event is organised under the aegis of Region Liguria, Cinque Terre National Park, the Municipality of Monterosso al Mare and the Italian Farmers Association.
Father Renato Brenz Verca of the Capuchin Monastery of Monterosso will bless this peaceful place, which Benedictine monks had chosen in ancient times, together with its installation "Il bosco sottosopra" and its historical vineyard. The vineyard is coming to new life thanks to the passion of Elisabetta Cocciolo, owner of Eremo della Maddalena (www.lamaddalenacinqueterre.it), and her collaboration with Marzia Raggi, of Azienda Agricola Ascià and owner, together with her husband Giancarlo, of Cantina Sassarini, celebrating this year half a century of Cinque Terre wine production.
Artist Marco Nones drew inspiration from the harmony of the land surrounding the historical dwelling, reflecting: "There are many ways to study the shape of the trees. You can observe the design of the branches against the sky. This is transcendence. You can peer at the bark. This is being on equal terms. Or, you can imagine the wood upside-down. This is perhaps the most daring way, because it leads you to subvert an order and look at the depth."
Now that respect for the environment and sustainability have gained centre stage, the works by Marco Nones (www.marconones.com), which are deeply connected with the land and exclusively made of vegetable matter, are well-suited to illustrate the effort undertook in the last few years to recover Cinque Terre as historical place. The duration of the installation will depend on its biodegradability. Using an artwork to emphasise the rebirth of the vineyard - which is itself an artwork - is a cultural operation aimed at highlighting the oleography of this land, turning it into an open-air museum.
