Baroque Blue Art & Nature Residency 2026 (5th Edition)
Theme: The Nachiri Routes: Biodiversity and Landscape
Curated by Dores Sacquegna
Torre Dell’Orso, Lecce Puglia, Italy
September 19 – October 3, 2026
Primo Piano invites you to join the fifth edition of its Baroque Blue Art & Nature Residency, an intimate gathering shaped by creation, reflection, and connection. Set along the luminous coastline of TORRE DELL’ORSO, where the sea is not just a view but a presence, this residency unfolds as a space to listen more deeply—to your practice, to others, and to the quiet stories held by the landscape. This residency offers more than a retreat—it is a space for reconnection, reflection, and creative awakening. It is an invitation to return to yourself, to reconnect with the land, and to create from a place of depth, presence, and truth.
The unspoiled landscape of Salento is not defined solely by the breathtaking beauty of its sea. The region is characterized and brought to life by expanses of monumental olive trees, some with anthropomorphic and zoomorphic shapes—a heritage of Puglia recognized worldwide. The Nachiri Routes is an expression that evokes the historical and cultural paths linked to olive oil production in Salento, centered on the figure of the “Nachiro” (or helmsman). The term draws on a nautical metaphor, as the oil mill was seen as an underground ship and the nachiro as its captain. During the summer, the nachiro was on a voyage aboard his ship, and in the winter, he was the master of the underground oil mills (hypogeum).
There is a fascinating myth that links Aeneas and Salento, classical mythology with the Land of Otranto—a poetic tale, that of Virgil as narrated in the Aeneid, which identifies Torre dell’Orso, Porto Badisco, and Castro as Aeneas’s landing place after his flight from Troy. The two rocks Virgil refers to are the “Due sorelle/two sisters,” the two sea stacks located in front of the bay of Torre dell ’Orso. Nearby is the San Cristoforo grotto, known to all travellers who circumnavigated Salento, with ships carved into the rock and other shrines dedicated to sailors and the gods worshiped in this part of Italy. This itinerary explores the sites steeped in myth, the historic crossroads between East and West, the landscape, the underground world, and the centuries-old tradition that has made Salento one of the leading producers of olive oil in the Mediterranean.
Like ancient Nachiri (sailors), You will embark on your journey following the routes that will lead them to discover your true Self.
A sacred and profound journey to honour your roots and discover who you have been and who you are ready to become.
What We Offer
- Accommodation in the marina of Torre dell’Orso
- A nurturing environment for artistic research and creation
- Curatorial guidance and mentorship
- Opportunities for dialogue and collaboration
- Immersion in local culture, food, and rhythms of life
- Materials/art stuff to work on site.
- Guided tours by land and by boat.
- Village explorations.
- Exceptional dinners with regional wines.
- Printmaking workshop.
- Yoga and sacred feminine sessions.
- Final exhibition during residency.
- Prizes Details: All the best works created during the residency will be displayed in the coming months in a Contemporary Art Foundation in Lecce.
See national and international artist testimonials:
https://baroqueblueresidency.com/en/feedback/
To learn more: primopianoexhibition01@gmail.com or primopianorecidency@gmail.com
