Osservatorio: Mormorii

A contemporary art observatory within the Rocca

In the heart of Piancastagnaio, a village on Mount Amiata in the province of Siena (Tuscany), the historic Rocca Aldobrandesca opens its rooms to contemporary art. "Osservatorio: Mormorii" is the inaugural exhibition of Osservatorio, a new project born from the municipality's first open call to breathe new life into the medieval fortress. Open to the public from March 28, 2026, and extended due to high attendance, the exhibition confirms the Amiata region's commitment to blending historical heritage with artistic research.

The project and the open call

The Osservatorio project is the result of an open call aimed at young curators and emerging artists, designed to transform the Rocca's tower into a permanent exhibition space dedicated to contemporary art and design. Among the entries, the committee selected "Mormorii," curated by Mirco Marino in collaboration with art historian Antonella Nicola. This initiative represents a model of cultural regeneration for local historical heritage, bringing life back within the Aldobrandesca walls.

The artists and their works

The exhibition brings together four prominent voices in contemporary Italian art:

• Francesca Banchelli
• Francesco Carone
• Rä di Martino
• Namsal Siedlecki

Through sculptures, paintings, and videos, the works engage with the tower's architecture and the surrounding landscape. The route unfolds vertically, like a physical and symbolic ascent: from the ancient prisons on the lower levels to the panoramic terrace, where the gaze sweeps across the Mount Amiata territory. The Rocca, both a defensive structure and a strategic observation point, thus becomes a place of temporal short-circuits and layered meanings.

Wild: the bronze wolves of Davide Rivalta

Accompanying the internal route, from May 30 to December 31, 2026, is the installation "Wild" by Davide Rivalta: five life-sized bronze wolves placed near the Rocca. Without pedestals, the animals stand on the ground, "where we walk, more encountered than watched," deliberately retaining the marks of the non-finito (unfinished) modeling technique. The inauguration on June 21, 2026, also marks the presentation of the banners designed by the artists for the town's four districts (Castello, Borgo, Coro, and Voltaia).

Why it is worth visiting

"Osservatorio: Mormorii" is much more than an exhibition: it is an immersive experience that weaves together history, landscape, and contemporary art in one of the most evocative villages of the Amiata. An ideal stop for those visiting Piancastagnaio and the province of Siena in search of cultural offerings off the beaten path.