Capitelli. Traces of Rubra Earth

An exhibition between art and memory in Val Nure

The exhibition Capitelli. Traces of Rubra Earth brings contemporary art to one of the most evocative places in the Piacenza Apennines: the Torre Colombo of Pradello, a hamlet in the Municipality of Bettola, in the province of Piacenza (Emilia-Romagna). In this rural and silent setting, the painter Paolo Capitelli presents about twenty unpublished works on paper, guiding the visitor on a journey of color, material, and light.

The artist: Paolo Capitelli

Born in Milan in 1971, Paolo Capitelli moved to Farini, in the middle-high Val Nure of Piacenza, the land of origin of his parents and now the location of his studio. After an initial figurative phase in the early nineties, his research moved towards a personal and abstract language, indebted to the great Italian and European informal painting of the twentieth century. His works never directly describe reality: they suggest it through atmospheres, perceptions, and inner states, with delicate references to nature — butterflies, flowers, chromatic vibrations — that leave ample room for the viewer's imagination.

The meaning of rubra earth

The exhibition's title is not accidental. The lands around Pradello, rich in iron components, have always been called red earths (terra rubra): a color that dialogues with Capitelli's warm and material painting and with the bucolic landscape of Val Nure. These very lands traditionally belonged to the Piacenza branch of the Colombo family, and the tower that overlooks them is linked to the memory of Christopher Columbus, indicated by solid local tradition as originating from these places.

Torre Colombo, an exceptional venue

The Torre di Pradello, also known as Torre dei Colombo, is a characteristic medieval stone tower house dating back to the 13th century, built for defensive and residential purposes. Today it houses a small museum dedicated to the memory of Columbus and, for this occasion, hosts Capitelli's works in a rare combination of historical heritage and contemporary art.

An event of the Piacenza territory

The exhibition, curated by art historian Silvia Bonomini, enjoys the patronage of the Province of Piacenza and the Municipality of Bettola. It is an opportunity to discover a little-known corner of Emilia-Romagna, where contemporary painting meets history, the Apennine landscape, and local food and wine.