Roberto Ghezzi's 'Naturografie' Transform Landscape into Art

Italian artist Roberto Ghezzi is installing his 'naturografie' (nature-graphies) along the Sarca River and Lake Garda as part of the 'Alto Garda Project' coordinated by MAG Museo Alto Garda. The project, running from June to September 2026, involves placing untreated canvases in water and natural environments, allowing biological processes—algae, bacteria, sediments—to create the artwork over three months. Ghezzi, trained at the Accademia di Belle Arti di Firenze, has developed predictive models to control the initial setup (canvas type, preparation, placement season) but does not intervene once nature takes over. Collaborations with scientists from MUSE (Museo delle Scienze di Trento) have emerged, including a case where a bryophyte believed extinct in Sardinia appeared on his canvas. The project also includes sites near MART in Rovereto and MUSE in Trento. Canvases will be retrieved in late August/early September for scientific study, followed by an exhibition at MAG curated by Matteo Rapanà and Gabriele Salvaterra, with additional displays at MUSE, MART, and Ecomusei delle Valli Giudicarie. Ghezzi views his work as 'long-exposure photographs' that reveal a place's essence over time, emphasizing the genius loci and participatory aspects as local communities engage with the evolving works.