AiR: New Contemporary Art Park in Abruzzo's San Venanzio Reserve

On July 23, 2016, the AiR (Arte in Riserva) project was launched at the Riserva Regionale delle Gole di San Venanzio in Raiano, L'Aquila. The initiative aims to create a Contemporary Art Park within the reserve and its trails. Promoted by the association “Terre Colte” in collaboration with the Municipality of Raiano and the park management body, this year's edition is curated by Ivan D'Alberto. Five artists from different regions—Emanuela Ascari, Daniela Di Maro, Licia Galizia, Gino Sabatini Odoardi, and Giacomo Zaganelli—will participate in a residency from August 4 to 11, after studying the site's characteristics and cultural landmarks, notably the Eremo di San Venanzio. They will produce five works to be placed in the reserve, adding to a collection started in 2015. On August 7, a symposium in Raiano's historic center will allow the public to preview the proposals. The works and trail will be inaugurated on August 11. D'Alberto proposed the theme "Rito, Storia, Preghiera" (Rite, History, Prayer), linking the region's ritualistic landscape to contemporary performative and relational art. Sabatini Odoardi will use thermoforming to create plastic draperies in dialogue with the environment; Zaganelli will continue his "Mappa dell'Abbandono" research related to a ruined mill along the trail; Ascari will create walking sticks engraved with phrases; Di Maro will mark the path with compasses; and Galizia will craft an aluminum flower area as an ex-voto along the pilgrims' route.