Arte Sella - The Contemporary Mountain

Arte Sella, a place where in more than thirty years the mountain and contemporary art meet. Art and Nature merge in a continuous dialogue, where Artists from all over the world are invited to encounter the Sella Valley to carry out artworks that are nourished by the unique History and nature of the place. In a period of thirty years dance, music and art in all its forms have assiduously attended the paths of Arte Sella, giving way to unique projects and events, for  example Fucina Arte Sella and La Natura del Pensiero.

Arte Sella was born in an experimental form in 1986, when a group of friends who lived in Borgo Valsugana met in the Sella Valley in the garden of Villa Strobele.and envisioned to combine contemporary art and nature, and so starts a period of contacts with local cultural institutions, with the people and the artists who were mainly strangers. Strong bonds were formed, like the collaboration with the Association of the Friends of Borgo under the guidance of Livio Rossi. Right from the start certain cardinal principals were formed that still inspire the activities of Arte Sella:
- The artist is not the absolute protagonist of the artworks but accepts that nature completes his work.
- Nature must be protected as a vault of nature.
- Nature is not only protected, but interpreted even in its absence, thus changes the ecological relationship.
- The artworks are placed here and there and are made of natural materials. They come from the landscape and then return to nature.

The project Arte Sella exists since 1986 with the first artworks carried out in the garden of Villa Strobele in the Sella Valley, the Association of Arte Sella was formally founded   in October 1989 under the guidance of Emanuele Montibeller, the art direcrot. The members have in common the interest with the artistic potential of nature. From 1996 Arte Sella developed along a forest path on the Southern side of Mount Armentera, the Artenatura path winds its way through the forest and the entrance is free. In 1998 another path was added The Malga Costa which in the past was a farm, the barn which was the stable for the farm animals is today the Concert Hall. The farmhouse is a meeting place and a place for the artists to share their views. 2001 was an important year for Arte Sella, the Tree Cathedral of Giuliano Mauri was created, it has been a symbol of Arte Sella ever since. This imposing architecture is almost complete thanks to the patient intervention of Nature. Since then Arte Sella has become established, promoting collaborations between the “ Maestri “ of Art in Nature to name but a few, Nils Udo, Arne Quinze, John Grade and Michelangelo Pistoletto.
In 2016 Arte Sella opened again the Villa Strobele's garden, where there are new artworks realised by very important architects as Atsushi Kitagawara, Kengo Kuma and Michele De Lucchi.

Today Arte Sella is an International reality, in continuous evolution, connected to networks such as: ELAN (European Land Art Network) , Dancing Museums  and Grandi Giardini Italiani .

Source: http://www.artesella.it

Arte Sella has become over time a place where music, dance, architecture and education have declined into new and innovative projects, under the supervision of Mario Brunello, artistic director of the musical sector, Roberto Casarotto, artistic director of the dance sector, Marco Imperadori, scientific director of Arte Sella Architettura  and Ugo Morelli, responsabile scientific director of Arte Sella Education . 

Click here   to access the archive of events and collaborations of Arte Sella.