Nicoletta Rusconi Launches I.D.E.A. Salento Art Project in Gagliano del Capo

On June 1, 2019, Nicoletta Rusconi inaugurated I.D.E.A. Salento in Gagliano del Capo, located in an old tobacco drying building owned by collectors Marina and Patrizio Ziggiotti. This project expands on her residency initiative, Cascina Maria, at Lake Maggiore. The opening featured works by Igshaan Adams, a 1982-born artist from Cape Town, who teamed up with local textile workers after spending two months at Cascina Maria. Additionally, Mattia Bosco created totemic sculptures that highlight the region's stone and farming heritage, while Letizia Cariello placed a permanent installation in the orange grove. The exhibition also included pieces from several artists like Luca Gilli and Eva Kot'átková. The Ziggiottis, who bought the property in 2003, plan to make the site publicly accessible this summer and will host future residencies, including artist Christiane Löhr, to encourage local artistic exchange.