Earth Path: Plant symbolism and shamanism
From July 5 to 18, 2025 in Santa Maria al Bagno (Lecce)
July sees the start of the fourth edition of BAROQUE BLUE the annual art residency organized by Primo Piano LivinGallery under the curatorship of Dores Sacquegna. The project entitled “EARTH PATH: plant symbolism and shamanism” is scheduled from July 5 to 18 in Santa Maria al Bagno under the auspices of the city of Nardò.
THE PROJECT AND THE ARTISTS
Artist residencies play a crucial role in contemporary art, and BAROQUE BLUE is confirmed as a reference point for international artists who want to work in a stimulating environment and deepen their artistic practice. EARTH PATH between plant symbolism and shamanism is a multidisciplinary journey dedicated to archetypes, divine and aromatic essences, and the similarities between flower and starry sky. Artists are invited to think about biodiversity and create magical relationships with Salento folklore. The program includes days in parks, gardens, nature reserves, but also millenary places that tell the story of Salento and become a source of inspiration for the creation of their works.
In Santa Maria al Bagno residency is American artist Kohlene Hendrickson (she lives and works in Switzerland), whose work explores the human and the cosmic and will offer a workshop on encaustic, an ancient painting technique that uses beeswax as a pigment binder. The other artists are Laurence Vittes, an American musician and music critic, and Lark Pilinsky, an American gallery owner and artist whose works embody the powerful healing vibrations of nature. From her Los Angeles gallery in residency are American artists Beverly DiCarlo , Victoria Williamson, Tatiana Yartseva and Asya Fadeyeva, and finally the two British artists Julie Moss and Karen Partridge, whose works incorporate symbolic elements giving form to imaginary and scenic landscapes.
In the dialogue with the territory, six artists and authors from Puglia are present: Gianni Chiriatti whose works are inspired by nature and who leads the workshop on distillates and oleolites in his atelier in Borgagne, Francesca Romana Ferrara, owner of FA Agricola in Galatone with the workshop on Salento products. Claudio Rizzo is scheduled to present his tree sculptures and a reading on “The Party Taken…of the Tree,” loosely based on the book by F. Ponge. Shamanism, as a foundational aspect of this project, is explored and articulated by Maria Maddalena Armenise, holistic medicine practitioner and author of the book titled “The Map of Salvation: Grail, Medicine for the New Humanity Beyond Duality.” Inspired by the nature of the Mediterranean maquis, the performance by Maestro Alberto Nick Bolettieri, a multi-instrumentalist musician from Turin based in Salento. Luigi Caiffa, artist of impressive multimedia works and official photographer of the residency, closes the circle.
The residency draws to a close on July 18 at the villa in Santa Maria al Bagno, culminating in an exhibition of the works and a celebratory ceremony.
BAROQUE BLUE
Via Emanuele Filiberto 144, Santa Maria al Bagno, marina di Nardò (Lecce)
Info: +39 349 37 20659 | primopianogallery@gmail.com
Some pictures of this experience. Video catalogue coming soon!
