Valerio Berruti's 'Frammenti' Transforms Retaining Wall into Sculptural Installation in Monticello d'Alba

Valerio Berruti has unveiled 'Frammenti', a monumental sculptural complex covering a retaining wall beneath the Castello di Monticello d'Alba with approximately 100 bas-reliefs in reinforced concrete and enamel, each 2 meters high. The work was made possible through the first edition of the Bando Distruzione, an initiative by the Fondazione CRC aimed at improving urban and landscape contexts in the province of Cuneo through demolition, mitigation, and elimination of visual blights. Commissioned in 2017, the project embodies the foundation's goal of engaging communities in the care of public spaces. Berruti describes the work as a form of land art that also addresses public stewardship. The bas-reliefs symbolize the fragmentation of the human being, captured during the fragile moment of childhood. The artist intentionally left the ivy that has long inhabited the wall untouched; if the residents of Monticello prune the ivy, the reliefs remain visible, otherwise they become covered. Berruti originally considered titling the work 'La cura' (The Care) to emphasize the need for responsibility toward public goods. The installation is part of a living space in constant interaction with the elements.