MARES Artist Residency Launches with 'Ruins' Exhibition in Bosco Marengo

The MARES artist residency, founded by curators Tatiana Palenzona and Amina Berdin alongside entrepreneur Michelangelo Buzzi, has launched its first cycle of residencies culminating in the group exhibition 'Ruins' at the 16th-century Complesso Monumentale di Santa Croce in Bosco Marengo, Italy. Named after the ancient Celto-Ligurian Marici people, the non-profit association aims to revitalize the peripheral Alessandria province by fostering contemporary art dialogue with local history and community. The exhibition features works by Giovanni Chiamenti, Jade Blackstock, Teresa Prati, and Luca Pagin, selected from over 400 applications across 40 countries. Artists produced site-specific pieces exploring themes of ruins, memory, and regeneration, including Blackstock's 13-meter cotton and beeswax sculpture and Pagin's sculptural installations. The residency also involved collaborations with local schools, apiculturists, and cultural associations like Radici Urbane and Radic'Arte. Curatorial duo Lemonot contributed to the exhibition's transdisciplinary approach. MARES emphasizes sustainability through relational networks and community engagement, with key words 'cura', 'presenza', and 'ascolto' guiding its mission. The three-year program aims to establish a permanent cultural hub in the region.