Mutonia steampunk sculpture village in Romagna faces eviction again

Mutonia, a unique steampunk sculpture village built by the Mutoid Waste Company in Santarcangelo di Romagna, Italy, is under threat of eviction following a January 2025 ruling by the Consiglio di Stato that overturned a previous protective measure. The community, established in 1991 by a British collective emerging from the squatter, punk, and acid house scenes, transformed a disused quarry on the Marecchia river into a living art environment using recycled materials. In 2013, after a neighbor's complaint led to an eviction order, a mobilization led by then-Santarcangelo Festival director Silvia Bottiroli and a petition with over 11,000 signatures prompted the Soprintendenze of Bologna and Ravenna to declare Mutonia a "cultural park" and a "civic asset," halting demolition. However, the Consiglio di Stato now deems the municipality's ad-hoc plan illegitimate. Current mayor Filippo Sacchetti has pledged to find a new solution. Fifteen former directors of the Santarcangelo Festival, led by current director Tomasz Kirenczuk, have signed a collective letter in defense of the community. The documentary "Hometown Mutonia" by the ZimmerFrei collective is being screened again to raise awareness. The article argues that Mutonia represents a model of creative freedom, civil resistance, and experimental coexistence, and calls for the art world to engage with such grassroots initiatives beyond the commercial gallery system.