TerraCielo Open-Air Museum Opens in Molise to Protect Landscape Through Art

The TerraCielo – Museo a cielo aperto (Open-Air Museum) has been established in the hamlet of Macchia d'Isernia, in the Molise region of Italy, with the aim of reclaiming and promoting the territory and landscape through contemporary art installations. The project was conceived by Mayor Giovanni Martino as a collective endeavor involving local communities, citizens, and artists in the realization and setup of the museum. Managed by the cultural association SM'ART – L'arte sm!, the sculpture park was inaugurated on November 18, 2023, with a large environmental installation inspired by Michelangelo Pistoletto's Terzo Paradiso (Third Paradise), symbolizing the reconnection between man and nature. The work was created by planting 30 holm oaks, 15 rosemary plants, and a variety of shrubs in the shape of the Trinamic symbol, framed by six fruit trees. In July 2024, the park hosted its first artist residency, featuring artists Alessandra Cecchini, Diana Casmiro, Maddalena Scuderoni, and Adriano Segarelli, who created an installation relating to the landscape and the nearly 14-kilometer nature trail. Association president Andrea Pallotta stated that the museum aims to tell new stories about a previously abandoned place, reinterpreting it through art.