{"id":10830,"date":"2015-04-06T16:30:53","date_gmt":"2015-04-06T14:30:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.arttrav.com\/?p=10830"},"modified":"2017-03-21T15:19:33","modified_gmt":"2017-03-21T14:19:33","slug":"art-parks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.arttrav.com\/tuscany\/art-parks\/","title":{"rendered":"Art Parks in Tuscany"},"content":{"rendered":"

There’s no question that the Tuscan landscape is highly inspiring. The region’s natural beauties are irresistable to capture in photography or paint. The landscape also lends itself well to enhancement by art. Sculpture gardens or art parks<\/strong> are some of my favourite places, combining two things I love: art and nature. I’ve visited most of the art parks in Tuscany and have made a list here, roughly from South to North, hoping to see a few more this year.<\/p>\n

Southern Tuscany – Art parks in Maremma<\/h2>\n

The Tarot Garden by Niki de Saint Phalle<\/h3>\n
\"Niki
Niki de Saint Phalle garden<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Located on the southernmost border of Tuscany, with Lazio at a spitting distance, this park is nothing you’d normally associated with the words “sculpture garden”. It’s more like an international island in remote Maremma, where a French artist had a Gaudi attack. Massive sculptures that you can walk on and into are made entirely in mosaic! My husband and I’s first major date was a trip to this park on June 3, 2000, and I’ve written about it here<\/a>. For this reason, of course, it remains an extremely special place for us.<\/p>\n

Visitor Information<\/em>: Open daily in summer only, www.giardinodeitarocchi.it<\/p>\n

Arte e Parte by Piero Bonacina<\/h3>\n
\"Bonacina's
Bonacina’s garden<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In Maremma near Castel del Piano, near the town of Montegiovi is a private garden by a Milanese artist, Piero Bonacina<\/strong>, who “drifted” down to Maremma and stayed. His works are of a completely different type than the colourful Niki works, which contrast with the green area around them. But the Maremma is understated, rustic and rampant, and so is this art, that blends in perfectly with it. Here’s a longer post about this garden<\/a> and its creator.<\/p>\n

Visitor Information<\/em>: private garden open by appointment, call +39 0564 969602.<\/p>\n

Daniel Spoerri sculpture garden<\/h3>\n
\"Details
Details of room sculpted in bronze by Spoerri<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

On the hills of the Amiata mountain, in a rather remote part of Maremma<\/strong>, there\u2019s a large sculpture park<\/strong> by the Swiss artist Daniel Spoerri<\/strong>. The vast area includes woods as well as open fields, and is home to 108 sculptures, over 40 of which are by Spoerri, and the others selected by him for this space. I’ve written about spending a day at Daniel Spoerri’s garden here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Visitor information<\/em>: Giardino di Daniel Spoerri, Seggiano (GR),\u00a0Open daily 11am to sundown: www.danielspoerri.org<\/span><\/p>\n

The Giardino di Ritorno by Rodolfo Lacquaniti<\/h3>\n
\"Sphere
Sphere of glass and metal in Rodolfo’s garden (overlooking his swimming pool)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Further up in Maremma, near where we have a home in Sticciano, is the garden of an eccentric architect who decided to dedicate himself to creating sculpture on his property out of found materials. Rodolfo Lacquaniti has become a friend over the last few years after I met and interviewed him for the Tuscany Region’s art blog back in 2010 (here<\/a>). Recently he has seen greater critical recognition thanks to his creating an impressive installation at Vintage Selection<\/a> in Florence. Rodolfo is a talker, and if you let him take you around his property, he’ll tell you about how each piece was conceived and what it means to him. The works are part of a story that is continuously being built.<\/p>\n

Visitor Information<\/em>: private garden and home, open only upon reservation by phone at +39 335\/5247472 or email Rodolfo at [r.lacquaniti@tiscali.it]. Visits cost 10 euros per person.<\/p>\n

Paul Fuchs Garden of Sounds<\/h3>\n
\"Fuchs
Fuchs garden<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I have yet to visit this art park in Maremma – the last on my list! Paul Fuchs is a Bavarian sound artist who has exhibited his work all over the world, but fell in love with the countryside around Boccheggiano. Around his villa, his creations can be properly heard in the silence of this countryside location. Read more about this on Elisa’s Maremma-Tuscany blog<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Sculpture gardens closer to Florence<\/h2>\n

Chianti sculpture park<\/h3>\n
\"Rainbow
Rainbow crash at Chianti Sculpture Park<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I was very impressed with this park when I visited last year. The 1km path in the woods hosts international sculptures that dialogue well with the land, and there’s a free guide for iphone that has short texts about each piece. Read my longer post about this garden here.<\/a><\/p>\n

Visitor Information<\/em>: open daily from 10am to sundown, though if visiting in the winter months, reservation is recommended at +39 0577 357151. \u00a0\u00a0For information, see www.chiantisculpturepark.it<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Site Transitoire<\/h3>\n
\"Site
Site Transitoire, photo www.jeanpaulphilippe.eu<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Jean Paul Philippe is one of the first artists to develop landscape art in Tuscany since the 1980s. His Site Transitoire<\/em> is located in the Crete Senesi and is free to visit if you can find it. Instructions in French here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Castello di Ama<\/h3>\n
\"Castello
Castello di Ama. Photo from their website.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

One rare art park I haven’t visited yet is Castello di Ama, mainly because it is first a winery, then a collection of contemporary art in the landscape. The works are by artists of international fame, from Michelangelo Pistoletto to Daniel Buren and even Louise Bourgeois.<\/p>\n

Visitor Information: by reservation +39 0577\/746069, www.castellodiama.com<\/p>\n

Villa La Magia<\/h3>\n
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A photo posted by FAIgiovaniPT (@faigiovanipt)<\/a> on