Arteparco Launches with Marcantonio's Heart Installation in Abruzzo National Park

A new public art project called Arteparco has launched in Italy's Parco Nazionale di Abruzzo, Lazio e Molise, a UNESCO World Heritage site since 2017 known for its ancient beech forests and protected fauna including the Marsican brown bear, chamois, and wolf. Each year, an artist will create an installation within the forest. The inaugural edition features Marcantonio (Marcantonio Raimondi Malerba, born 1976 in Massalombarda, Ravenna), an artist known for blending art and design with works like the Monkey Lamp for Seletti. His piece, 'Animale Vegetale (Il Cuore)', consists of a white anatomical heart made from eco-sustainable lacquered birch wood, placed on the trunk of a dead beech tree. The installation was conceived by communication agency Paridevitale in collaboration with the Ente Parco, the municipality of Pescasseroli, and sponsors BMW Italia and Sky Arte. BMW Italia, which has maintained an environmental protection office since 1973 and is listed in the Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes, provided financial support and six electric bicycles for visitors. Paride Vitale, the project's creator, also runs PARCO1923, a product line inspired by forest scents. The heart symbolizes the connection between human and plant life, as Marcantonio notes the only difference between animal and plant cells is the chloroplast. The work aims to foster dialogue between art and nature without being intrusive.