"La Voce del Guardiano" Wood Sculpture Symposium

La Voce del Guardiano: art born from wood

The "La Voce del Guardiano" Wood Sculpture Symposium takes place in Montemagno, a charming hillside hamlet in the Municipality of Camaiore, in the province of Lucca, in the heart of the Tuscan Versilia. For two days, the village comes alive with the roar of chainsaws and the scent of freshly worked wood: ten sculptors from across Italy and abroad transform large logs into true works of art, shaping animals, faces, and fantastic creatures right before the public's eyes.

A story born from a fallen tree

The symposium originated from the recovery of an ancient holm oak in Montemagno that had reached the end of its life cycle and was felled. Rather than letting the wood go to waste or be burned, the community decided to entrust it to sculptors: the first works were born, including a wolf's head, "The Angel of Dreams," a hedgehog, and a scenic bench. From that gesture, an annual event grew, transforming Montemagno into the "village of wooden sculptures," enriched edition after edition with new figures: turtles, owls, squirrels, and eagles carved into the wood.

The art of the chainsaw

Chainsaw carving is a discipline widely practiced in Northern European countries and is constantly growing in Italy as well. Artists work live on wood that would otherwise be destined for the scrap heap, demonstrating how a work tool can become a means of expression capable of restoring dignity and beauty to the material. The works created during the symposium are not sold but become part of the permanent collection that defines the village's exhibition route, which can be visited freely all year round.

A widespread exhibition route

Walking through Montemagno means discovering an open-air museum: the sculptures are scattered along the streets, small squares, and viewpoints of the village, in dialogue with the hilly landscape of Versilia. The organizers' goal is to make the route increasingly interactive and inclusive, welcoming visitors of all ages and abilities.

Community, territory, and hospitality

Behind "La Voce del Guardiano" is the work of the Wamdi Ista Team Association and the Montemagno Village Committee, with the patronage of the Municipality of Camaiore and the support of local Versilia entities. The event combines art and conviviality: during the symposium days, the village offers hospitality, local products, and opportunities for artists, residents, and visitors to meet in a festive atmosphere that enhances the hilly identity of Versilia, just a few kilometers from the beaches and the Apuan Alps.

Why attend

• Watch the live creation of monumental chainsaw sculptures.
• Discover an authentic hillside village in Versilia, far from mass tourism.
• Visit a free, ever-growing permanent outdoor exhibition route.
• Experience an event that weaves together art, nature, sustainability, and community.

An ideal appointment for art lovers, families, and the curious, telling the story of how a fallen tree can become the living voice of an entire territory.