Bagni di Lucca Art Festival 2014

Posted on January 19, 2014 by Debra Kolkka

The very first Bagni di Lucca Art Festival was held with great success in 2013. Ponte a Serraglio came alive with art exhibitions, performances and parties throughout the summer.

Jaqueline and Jake and their team of volutneers are to be congratulated. With a miniscule budget and a lot of hard work they produced something wonderful.

Old shops in Ponte a Serrraglio were renovated and filled with exciting exhibitions and activities. People came out to enjoy opening celebrations and be part of the first festival. The little piazza was full of artists, performers and fun.

A particular favourite of mine was the installation in the river, called Fragile Community by Sandro Del Pistoia.

Plans are well underway for the 2014 event. This year Jaqueline and Jake are hoping to encourage even more participation in the form of sponsorship (please) and people with ideas and the courage and energy to bring their ideas into fruition.

If you can help in any way…if you think you have a great idea for the festival and have the time to help make it happen…please come forward and let the organisers know.

This year’s event will be shorter and more concentrated and will hopefully spread to other villages in Bagni di Lucca. Jaqueline and Jake would like to include more ideas and people in 2014.

The Bagni di Lucca Art Festival has the potential to be a significant art event which will be excellent for the future of the town. A thriving art community in this beautiful setting would bring more people and provide more jobs for those living here.

The festival needs your help to spread the word…talk to your friends and neighbours about it…write about it on your blog or Facebook page…it would be great if the whole community of Bagni di Lucca was involved…if not as participants or helpers then as spectators.

Please email Jaqueline at artfestivalbagnidilucca@gmail.com if you have any suggestions to make a huge success of the 2014 event.

Look at artfestivalbagnidilucca.org for more information on the festival.

Click here, here, here, here, hereand here to see the posts on Bella Bagni di Lucca about the 2013 Art Festival.

Bagni di Lucca Arts Festival comes to an end

Posted on September 15, 2013 by Debra Kolkka

The first Bagni di Lucca Arts Festival is drawing to a close. It has been a very successful event and is a credit to the organisers.

I haven’t been around Ponte a Serraglio for the festival, but I have been able to keep up with the activities through the efforts of friends who have sent photos.

For an excellent roundup of the festival please go to Michael and Shona’s Blog. They have been involved from the beginning to the almost end and can fill you in on some of the details.

Click on livingtuscany.wordpress.com

I’m sure plans are already underway for next year.

River art

Posted on July 31, 2013 by Debra Kolkka

Our lovely friend Agostino sent these great photos of the latest art installation at Ponte a Serraglio. He lives above the village and has a bird’s eye view.

Here is a closer perspective.

…and from the other side of the bridge.

It looks like giant meccano floating on the river. I have no idea how it was done. Had I been at Ponte a Serraglio while it was happening I would have been able to tell, it is right under our balcony.

Thank you Agostino for the great photos!

Sculpture in the park

Posted on July 24, 2013 by Debra Kolkka

There are five sculptors working in the hot sun in the Villa Fiori gardens to create beautiful art pieces from Carrara marble…all part of the Bagni di Lucca Art Festival.

Our roving reporter Kerry braved the heat to see the action and share it with us.

Michael Cartwright is an Australian artist who lives and works in Bagni di Lucca.

His marble is taking the abstract shape of a bird.

Canadian artist Doug Robinson is working on a water and bird theme.

Sarah Danays is a UK artist who has a house in one of Bagni di Lucca’s hilltop villages. Her sculpture is taking the form of a bust to display a beautiful neckpiece.

Japanese artist Ryoichi Suzuki beautiful free form shape is developing daily.

Petra Boshart from the Netherlands is working on 2 pieces representing the flowing water of the nearby Lima River.

If you are at Ponte a Serraglio stop by the park and watch the developing sculpture. There will be a display of the finished sculptures at Ponte a Serraglio on Friday 26th July.

Go to www.artfestivalbagnidilucca.org for more on the sculpture symposium.

Two exhibitions at Circolo dei Forestieri

Posted on July 21, 2013 by Debra Kolkka

Circolo dei Forestieri in La Villa is currently hosting 2 art exhibitions.

The first is a display of Mailart. Beautifully decorated envelopes have been sent to Bagni di Lucca from far and wide and are now on show.

The second is an exhibition is called Sacred and Profane…a selection of plaster statues produced by Arte Barsanti, a local factory which has been in operation since 1900. Bagni di Lucca is well known for its production of plaster presepi, nativity scenes. Here is a chance to see some beautiful pieces. Click here to see more about Arte Barsanti.

Both exhibitions are on until 25th July. Go up the stairs beside the restaurant.

Thank you Morena and Kerry for the great photos.

Art Competition at Villa Fiori

Posted on July 18, 2013 by Debra Kolkka

Every year the Borgo degli Artisti organises an art competition at Ponte a Serraglio in the beautiful grounds of the Villa Fiori. Kerry was there to take some photos for us so we can be part of the fun day.

It was a hot day and the artists sought shade where they could.

Lots of artists were there to paint our gorgeous village.

Here are the winners.

Thank you Borgo degli Artisti for a great event.

New exhibition at La Rondine

Posted on July 4, 2013 by Debra Kolkka

There is a new photography exhibition at La Rondine gallery in Ponte a Serraglio by Ella Haller Zwierzchowska. The young photograper’s colourful representations of India delighted visitors on the opening night last week.

The gallery was full of people having a great time.

Thank you Kerrie for photographing the event so we can all join in the fun.

La Mostra di Morena

Posted on April 8, 2013 by Debra Kolkka

Morena Guarnaschelli, a prominent member of Borgo degli Artisti, has a lovely exhibition of her paintings in a gorgeous salon in Terme di Bagni di Lucca at Bagni Caldi, above Ponte a Serraglio.

Surely this room is one of the most beautiful secrets in Bagni di Lucca.

The walls and ceiling are covered with delightful frescoes.

I particularly liked the birds decorating the ceiling.

Morena’s exhibition is on until the 28th April. Don’t miss it…and take the time to look at the beautiful salon.

www.termebagnidilucca.it

Bagni di Lucca’s Art Festival

Posted on April 4, 2013 by Debra Kolkka

Bagni di Lucca is set to host a brand new Art Festival this summer. In the sunny months of July, August and September Ponte a Seraglio will be filled with performance artists, painters, sculptors and photographers.

Meet part of the organizing team.

From the left…Jaqueline, Ira, our Sindaco Dottore Betti and Jake.

With the help of our Sindaco (mayor), our beautiful venues, such as the Teatro Accademico, the Casino, the Sala Parrocchiale and others will be filled with exciting performance artists. Click here to see more on the Casino and here for the Teatro Accademico.

As well as this, artists will be able to display their collections of art work in some of the unused shops in the main street of Ponte a Serraglio at no cost. One of the best aspects of this is that the local people are getting involved in the clean up and renovation of these lovely shops, some of which have been empty for decades.

It is absolutely wonderful to see people working together to make the village more beautiful and to provide a welcome space for the artists.

A particularly exciting part if the festival will be provided by the very talented (and charming) Ira Seidenstein. Ira has been involved in the theatre since 1973 as an actor, director, playwright and choreographer. He also has extensive experience in clown theatre. Among other things he has worked with the world renowned Cirque du Soleil as a performer and teacher.

It is in his capacity as a teacher that he will be involved in the Art Festival. Ira has conducted workshops in London, Paris, Auckland , Barcelona and is now on his way to Vienna and Malmo, Sweden to continue. He has also conducted workshops in Brisbane where he now lives. (it is indeed a small world, he lives just minutes from our house in West End)

Ira will be conducting a workshop the last week in August and the first week of September, with a performance to follow in conjunction with the Art Festival. He was in town recently to look at suitable venues, and was delighted with what Bagni di Lucca has to offer. How lucky we are that someone of his calibre is involved with our very first Art Festival.

Check out his website…you will be impressed. www.iraseid.com

Top marks to Jaqueline and Jake for getting the festival off the ground. Everybody is invited to take part in whatever way possible…as an artist, helper, renovator or perhaps, most importantly as a spectator.

Please look at the Art Festival’s website and be involved in this exciting event in Bagni di Lucca.

http://www.artfestivalbagnidilucca.org

A celebration of women

Posted on March 12, 2013 by Debra Kolkka

At the Casino in Ponte a Serraglio there is an art exhibition to celebrate women. As well as a chance to see the beautifully restored interior of this historic building, you can see and exhibition of painting, sculpture and photography.

A large crowd gathered for the opening event.

For me the most interesting part of the exhibition is a display of craft, beautiful pieces of handwork done mostly by women. Some of these talents are being lost in these busy times and it is wonderful to see such a lovingly collected items of sewing, weaving, spinning, embroidery and lace work.

I can imagine busy hands creating these things for families and friends in any spare moment. Many of these skills are being lost forever. Thank you Gemma Fazzi and her team for showing us this lovely collection.

The exhibition continues until Friday 15th March and is open in the evenings from 5pm until 8pm. On Friday evening there will be a fashion parade followed by refreshments.

Bella Bagni di Lucca

A beautiful village in Tuscany

Tag Archives: art