Material Tales – Exhibition by Brunivo Buttarelli
The art of recovered material in the halls of the Rocca Sanvitale in Sala Baganza
About Material Tales
An exhibition between memory and the rebirth of matter
From May 23 to November 29, 2026, the Rocca Sanvitale in Sala Baganza, a 16th-century fortress overlooking Piazza Gramsci, transforms into a contemporary art space to host Racconti materici (Material Tales), the retrospective dedicated to sculptor Brunivo Buttarelli. The exhibition celebrates the artist's eighty years, born in Casalmaggiore in 1946, tracing over forty years of research on recovered, worn, damaged, or abandoned materials brought back to a new symbolic existence.
The works: archaeology of the impossible
Metal fragments, industrial waste, everyday object carcasses, corroded woods, bent irons, and oxidized surfaces become Buttarelli's raw material. From these scraps, the artist constructs sculptures that speak of geological time, the stratification of memory, and metamorphosis. Among the most famous works exhibited are La Discordia (Discord) and Lucente luna metallica (Shining Metallic Moon), the latter a critical reflection on consumerism that reinterprets symbols of Italian literary tradition, from Ariosto's *Orlando Furioso* to a cold, metallic moon made of industrial waste.
The exhibition in the Farnese halls
The exhibition unfolds in two evocative spaces. The Farnesian Garden features works that evoke geological eras, with broken shells and hybrid creatures. The Farnesian Apartment, decorated in the 18th century with frescoes by Sebastiano Galeotti, hosts the main body of the exhibition, including the series Nel tempo ciclico della vita (In the cyclical time of life), dedicated to cycles of death and regeneration. This creates a slow osmosis between the Renaissance structure, the 18th-century decorations, and the sculptor's post-archaeological forms.
A dialogue between ancient and contemporary
In Sala Baganza, a small municipality in the foothills of Parma province and in Emilia-Romagna, the Rocca dei Sanvitale and Farnese thus becomes a setting for a dialogue between different eras. The exhibition invites reflection on human behavior and the consequences of consumption, transforming waste into narrative and forgotten objects into works of art.
Useful information
- Period: May 23 – November 29, 2026
- Venue: Rocca Sanvitale, Piazza Gramsci 1, Sala Baganza (PR)
- Spaces: Farnesian Apartment and Farnesian Garden
- Opening hours: Thursday to Sunday, 10 AM-1 PM and 3 PM-6 PM
- Ticket: €10 with guided tour via QR Code
Material Tales — edition 2026
The exhibition Material Tales can be visited at the Rocca Sanvitale in Sala Baganza from May 23 to November 29, 2026, from Thursday to Sunday (10 AM-1 PM and 3 PM-6 PM, last admission 12 PM and 5 PM; from November 1st, closing at 5 PM).
The retrospective traces over forty years of work by Brunivo Buttarelli, who transforms industrial waste, bent irons, and oxidized surfaces into sculptures rich in memory. The exhibition path is divided between the Farnesian Garden, with works evoking geological eras and hybrid creatures, and the Farnesian Apartment, frescoed by Sebastiano Galeotti, which houses works such as La Discordia, Lucente luna metallica, and the series Nel tempo ciclico della vita.
Programme Material Tales 2026
The exhibition route
The exhibition is spread across the two main monumental spaces of the Rocca Sanvitale:
- Farnesian Garden — works evoking geological eras, with broken shells and hybrid creatures born from recovered materials.
- Farnesian Apartment — the main body of the exhibition, set up amidst the 18th-century frescoes by Sebastiano Galeotti, featuring the series In the cyclical time of life dedicated to cycles of death and regeneration.
Featured works
- La Discordia (Discord)
- Lucente luna metallica (Shining Metallic Moon) — a critique of consumerism inspired by Ariosto's *Orlando Furioso*.
- Assemblages and sculptures made from metal fragments, industrial waste, corroded woods, and oxidized irons.
Visit
The exhibition includes a guided tour via QR Code included in the ticket price. Open Thursday to Sunday, 10 AM-1 PM and 3 PM-6 PM (last admission 12 PM and 5 PM).
Highlights Material Tales 2026
Prices Material Tales 2026
Practical information — Material Tales
How to get there
Sala Baganza is located in the province of Parma, about 12 km from the provincial capital. By car, take the Parma Ovest exit from the A1 motorway, then continue towards the foothills along the SP665. By train, the nearest station is Parma, connected by TEP public buses to Sala Baganza.
Opening Hours
The exhibition is open from Thursday to Sunday, from 10 AM to 1 PM and from 3 PM to 6 PM (last admission at 12 PM and 5 PM). From November 1st, the afternoon closing time is brought forward to 5 PM.
Tickets and accessibility
Admission €10 with a guided tour via QR Code. The Rocca is fully accessible to people with disabilities and is pet-friendly (dogs on a leash or in appropriate bags for smaller ones). Information: IAT Sala Baganza and Valli di Parma, tel. +39 0521 331342, [email protected].
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Where does it take place — Material Tales
Rocca Sanvitale di Sala Baganza
Piazza Gramsci 1, 43038 Sala Baganza