Paolo William Tamburella's 'Àitason' Wraps Siena's Palazzo Chigi Zondadari

For the second edition of Cortemporanea, the inner courtyard of the 18th-century Palazzo Chigi Zondadari in Siena has been transformed by Paolo William Tamburella's installation 'Àitason' (an Etruscan term for vine cultivation on trees, known as 'vite maritata'). Curated by Valentina Bruschi, the work consists of a tangle of branches that climbs and envelops windows, balconies, and collection pieces in a symbolic embrace. The project was conceived by Flavio Misciattelli. Tamburella's inspiration came from a field in Saint-Victoire, Provence, where old vines had been removed for new ones, leading him to imagine vines growing from the palace windows overlooking Piazza del Campo. The installation includes a large vase made with Manetti, inspired by an Etruscan vase found in the palace collection, which depicts vines embracing the exterior. Tamburella describes the golden vine sculptures as referencing the Wunderkammer and serving as a 'second skin' protecting vines condemned to oblivion. Unlike his previous works involving local artisans and communities, this project is an assembly of elements rather than creation from scratch. The work emphasizes movement, a constant in Tamburella's research, and the marriage between the vine and the palace.