Cracking Art's Colorful Animals Invade Biella Castle for 30th Anniversary

The collective Cracking Art presents 'Spiriti del Tempo', a site-specific exhibition at Castello di Montecavallo in Vigliano Biellese, near Biella, Italy. Curated by Carla Testore, the show features the group's signature recycled plastic animals—pink snails, yellow cats, red elephants, blue rabbits—placed throughout the castle's outdoor spaces. The castle, built in 1830 on 13th-century ruins by Filiberto Avogadro and architect Dupuy, is a rare neo-Gothic example in Piedmont, inspired by the Abbey of Altacolomba in Aix-les-Bains, France. It also houses a winery offering tastings that blend history, nature, and contemporary art. The exhibition celebrates Cracking Art's 30-year career, with the collective stating, 'Man is not a victim of this time: he is a positive or negative protagonist, as our 1993 manifesto says.' Founded in 1993, the name references catalytic cracking, the process transforming crude oil into plastic, and the artists use waste plastic to create works through regeneration without environmental harm. The collective emphasizes collective action while preserving individual expression.