Pistoletto's Third Paradise Forged in Iron for Stia Biennale's 50th

In the Casentino village of Stia, near Arezzo, artisans Roberto Magni and Martino Stenico are forging a monumental version of Michelangelo Pistoletto's Third Paradise in the workshops of S.T.I.A. – School Training Iron & Arts. This ironwork sculpture is the centerpiece of the 50th anniversary celebrations of the Biennale Europea d'Arte Fabbrile di Stia, a biennial event founded in 1976 that turns the village into an open-air laboratory for wrought iron. The project, curated by Loris Innocenti and Tommaso Venco of Hexisart, in collaboration with the Fondazione Pistoletto Cittadellarte (with Francesco Saverio Teruzzi as referent), translates Pistoletto's iconic symbol into the artisanal and material logic of wrought iron. The work is being created in the historic S.T.I.A. workshops, where the iron slowly bends around a grand idea, embodying the fusion of contemporary art and traditional craftsmanship. The Biennale, which occurs every two years, has been a platform for iron art since its inception, and this anniversary edition promises to highlight the enduring relevance of the medium. The sculpture is expected to be unveiled during the Biennale, which will take place in Stia, drawing attention to the intersection of high art and local artisanal heritage.