Forme nel Verde 2026: 55th Edition Merges Sculpture, Satire, and Young Talent in San Quirico d'Orcia

The 55th edition of Forme nel Verde, Italy's oldest environmental art festival, opened on July 25, 2026, in San Quirico d'Orcia. Founded by Mario Guidotti in 1971 and directed by Carlo Pizzichini, the event transforms Horti Leonini, Palazzo Chigi Zondadari, and the Val d'Orcia UNESCO landscape into a diffuse museum. The edition features three core exhibitions: Gianfranco Meggiato's 'IN ITINERE. L'Uomo Quantico in cammino', a monumental sculpture show along the Via Francigena (celebrating 1,150 years), including the six-meter 'Germinazione' among the iconic cypresses; Emilio Giannelli's 'Alle belle statuine', a retrospective of his satirical terracotta sculptures marking his 90th birthday; and YOUNG2026, a project showcasing 20 students from ten Italian State Academies of Fine Arts (Bologna, Brera, Carrara, Catania, Florence, Foggia, Macerata, Naples, Perugia, Reggio Calabria). The young talent initiative is supported by DEAS Cyber, founded by Stefania Ranzato, linking cybersecurity to human-centered creativity. Meggiato's exhibition, in collaboration with Oblong Contemporary Art Gallery and with critical text by Domenico Piraina (Director of Culture for Milan and Palazzo Reale), explores quantum physics and spiritual pilgrimage. The festival runs through summer 2026, with venues open daily: Horti Leonini dawn to dusk, Palazzo Chigi Zondadari 10:30-18:00, and the cypress site 24/7.