Today I visited ArteSella, an International Exhibition of Nature Art that is very close to Trento. I’m not very good in explaining how magic this exhibition is so I guess I’ll let the images speak. Or, if you prefer, the Artesella Flickr slideshow. If you want to come in Trentino for a rejuvenating period, you know who to ask for …
From ArteSella site:
Arte Sella is an international biennial exhibition of contemporary art which began life in 1986. It takes places in the open, in the fields and woods of the Val di Sella valley (near Borgo Valsugana in the Province of Trento). Since 1996 the Arte Sella project has been laid out along a path in the woods on the southern slope of the Armentera mountain. The route, named ARTENATURA (“Art in Nature”) is designed to enable visitors to view the artworks and at the same time enjoy the natural site itself (with its different types of woods, rocks and trees …)
The idea of the exhibition is not just to display works of art but also to show the creative process involved: the works are followed day by day as they are created and the artists are called upon to express their relationship with nature from which they draw inspiration – a relationship based on respect.

The works are usually three-dimensional since they are constructed using stones, leaves, branches and tree-trunks; occasionally man-made objects, materials or colours are used. When the exhibition closes, many of the artworks are left to decay, thus becoming part of nature’s life-cycle; others are put on show in museums, art galleries and exhibitions in Italy and abroad.
In the last few years Arte Sella has expanded to include the nearby rustic Malga Costa. This unusual but attractive building has served as the backdrop for various exhibitions and events which have attracted considerable interest.
In 2001 near the Malga Costa the artist Giuliano Mauri built the massive “Tree Cathedral” artwork for Arte Sella.