Tuscany is well known for all its treasure-houses of art, but a little off the beaten track I discovered a tiny town in Tuscany with big, big art. Pietrasanta is a little place on the coast between La Spezia and Pisa with one large piazza and duomo, and a long, long tradition of art....
Currently on offer is the grand exhibition entitled "Lapidarium" by Mexican sculptor Gustavo Aceves consisting of huge installations of horses in bronze on huge slabs of local marble on display throughout the town. There are many galleries, artist studios, bronze foundries and studios where sculptors can cast their works in marble - a tradition first started here by Michelangelo...
Many artists and sculptors have moved here or have a studio here - one such being the Colombian artist Botero who reputedly likes to hang out at the bar Serendipity on the piazza, and celebrated his 80th birthday here two years ago with a grand exhibition of his work. His "warrior" still stands in one of the piazzas.....
In the small church named Misercordia are two comic murals by Botero - one of Heaven and one of Hell - the one of Hell, whereby Botero casts himself as the Devil, is particularly striking in its iconography... notice the detail of Adolf Hitler who is burning in Hell (bottom right)...
I thoroughly enjoyed my day in Pietrasanta and will keep an eye out for forthcoming exhibitions - who indeed can resist a place which welcomes you as soon as you leave the train station with this cool "polo mint" sculpture in marble by a Japanese artist...it is definitely a place to which I would love to return soon...
