Apiario d'Autore

An apiary that becomes a work of art

Apiario d'Autore is a project born in 2019 from the vision of engineer Mauro Rutto, who sought to create a dialogue between art, nature, and bees through a language accessible to everyone. Each year, fifteen Italian and international artists are selected and invited to paint the front of a beehive based on a specific theme. The works do not simply hang on a wall: they are installed in a real apiary, where they live for an entire beekeeping season before being showcased in traveling exhibitions throughout Italy.

The edition in the heart of the Maiella

For its most recent edition, the project chose a location of great scientific and scenic value: the "Michele Tenore" Botanical Garden, in the Colle Madonna area of Lama dei Peligni, within the Maiella National Park. The garden is home to hundreds of plant species, many of which are endemic to the central Apennines, making it the ideal setting for an event that speaks of pollinators and natural balance. The opening day includes a presentation of the project, a vernissage with the artists, and the opportunity to see the painted beehives up close.

The sixteen works and the theme

There are sixteen works created on the fronts of the beehives, each an original interpretation of the year's theme. The edition hosted in Lama dei Peligni celebrates the 150th anniversary of the publication of Il Bel Paese by Abbot Antonio Stoppani, the famous account of Italy's natural beauty, which serves as a starting point for reflecting on the relationship between man, the environment, and the identity of places. One work is specifically dedicated to the Maiella National Park and the landscapes of the Aventino Valley.

Art, bees, and territory

The project is promoted by the social promotion association Apiario d'Autore APS and involves local beekeepers who care for the hives and the production of local honey. The goal is twofold: on one hand, to raise awareness about the importance of bees as pollinators and the protection of biodiversity, and on the other, to promote the areas that host the beekeeping, particularly the protected areas of Abruzzo. The combination of contemporary art and sustainable beekeeping makes Apiario d'Autore a unique event in the region's cultural landscape.

A traveling project

Born in Piedmont, Apiario d'Autore has taken on a national dimension over the years: the works from each edition create exhibitions that travel through various Italian regions. Its arrival in Lama dei Peligni, in the municipality on the eastern slopes of the Maiella, integrates Abruzzo into this circuit that combines culture, environment, and sustainability education.