Walking Festival Brings Contemporary Art to Friuli Mountains

The first edition of Walking, a festival merging contemporary art with mountain hiking, debuts August 5, 2016, in the Carnia region of Friuli Venezia Giulia. Curated by Giuseppe Favi and Michela Lupieri, the event features a double exhibition in Tolmezzo (Torre Reytembergher) and on the Pal Piccolo trail, a World War I site on the Italian-Austrian border. Seven artists—Andreco, Leone Contini, Michele Spanghero, Michele Tajariol, Filippo Minelli, Caterina Rossato, and Pablo Chiereghin—created new works during residencies that included guided hikes, bunker visits, and meetings with locals. The festival aims to connect contemporary art with peripheral communities, explore border issues, and break from conventional art circuits. All exhibitions are free and open to the public throughout August. Funding comes from the Friuli Venezia Giulia region as part of the Centenary of the Great War program, coordinated by the Comunità Montana della Carnia. Future editions plan to change trails and themes annually, seeking diverse funding sources.