ARTFEED — Contemporary Art Intelligence

Pascale Marthine Tayou Exhibition at OCA in Pistoia's Natural Oasis

exhibition · 2026-04-26

OCA Oasy Contemporary Art and Architecture, a new exhibition space converted from a former stable within the Dynamo Oasis in San Marcello Piteglio (near Pistoia), opened in 2023. Its artistic director Emanuele Montibeller curated the inaugural show "Love Letters" featuring Cameroonian artist Pascale Marthine Tayou (born 1967), organized with Galleria Continua and running until November 3. Tayou's works—paintings, sculptures, and objects—address environmental issues and resource depletion. Highlights include colorful frescoes, "Colorful Stones" (2019) reflecting globalization, and the monumental "Plastic Bags" sculpture made from plastic bags, symbolizing consumerism and pollution. Future plans include a loop trail from the exhibition space featuring installations by Kengo Kuma (Dynamo Pavilion), Michele De Lucchi and Mariangela Gualtieri, Alejandro Aravena, Matteo Thun (homage to Jorge Bergoglio), Stefano Boeri (Oberton), Diana Scherer, Edoardo Tresoldi, Davide Quayola, and fuse*. OCA is accessible only on foot via a 30-minute forest walk from Croce di Piteglio. The 1,000-hectare park, once the hunting reserve of the Orlando family (founders of SMI, Società Metallurgica Italiana), was reclaimed in 2006 and now hosts diverse wildlife and rare plants, blending traditional farming with sustainable tourism.

Key facts

  • OCA Oasy Contemporary Art and Architecture opened in 2023 in the Dynamo Oasis, San Marcello Piteglio.
  • The space was converted from a former stable.
  • Artistic director is Emanuele Montibeller.
  • Inaugural exhibition 'Love Letters' features Pascale Marthine Tayou.
  • Exhibition runs until November 3, 2024.
  • Exhibition organized in collaboration with Galleria Continua.
  • Tayou's works include 'Plastic Bags' sculpture made from plastic bags.
  • Future installations include works by Kengo Kuma, Michele De Lucchi, Mariangela Gualtieri, Alejandro Aravena, Matteo Thun, Stefano Boeri, Diana Scherer, Edoardo Tresoldi, Davide Quayola, and fuse*.
  • OCA is reachable only by a 30-minute walk from Croce di Piteglio.
  • The park covers about 1,000 hectares.
  • The land was formerly the hunting reserve of the Orlando family, founders of SMI.
  • The reserve was reclaimed in 2006.

Entities

Artists

  • Pascale Marthine Tayou
  • Emanuele Montibeller
  • Kengo Kuma
  • Michele De Lucchi
  • Mariangela Gualtieri
  • Alejandro Aravena
  • Matteo Thun
  • Stefano Boeri
  • Diana Scherer
  • Edoardo Tresoldi
  • Davide Quayola
  • fuse*

Institutions

  • OCA Oasy Contemporary Art and Architecture
  • Galleria Continua
  • Dynamo Oasis
  • SMI (Società Metallurgica Italiana)

Locations

  • San Marcello Piteglio
  • Pistoia
  • Croce di Piteglio
  • Appennino Pistoiese
  • Italy

Sources