Castello di Ama Art Collection

The Project

THE VISION
art in dialogue with the genius loci

In 1999, in collaboration with Lorenzo Fiaschi and the Galleria Continua, the Contemporary Art project began. Since 2015 Philip Larrat-Smith has been appointed curator, actively contributing in the choice of artists from all over the world.

In fact, it was clear from the very beginning that this place was also able to speak to the hearts of the artists, to touch their sensitivity, and – through the genius loci – to open the horizons of knowledge, trying to reconnect the past with the future.

The genius is, in Greek philosophy, a divinity who represents all generated things and, at the same time, is capable of generating them. St. Augustine defines genius as "the inventive and creative talent", but it will be Kant who will give it a much more detailed definition in his 'Critique of Judgment': "the talent to discover". The genius is the one who has the possibility to find: it is not necessary for him to know, but he must be able to produce something masterful, that is: reference for everyone. 'Genius' is nothing more than the ability to create original things given by nature to man. The addition of the genitive loci defines the specific genius of a place.

Terroir, on the other hand, is the term, used in oenology, which defines the uniqueness of a wine. Graphically, it is represented by a triangle whose vertices are the soil, climate and variety and at the center of which is man. Not all wine-growing areas are equipped with terroir, and a vineyard without terroir is like a deconsecrated church: it seems that nothing is missing, but in reality the most important thing is.

Being in Ama, listening to their stories, breathing in the air and drinking their wine: this is the best way to introduce ourselves. And this is how the artist ends up being fertilized by the genius loci - just as has already happened to the winemaker with the terroir - and creates something masterful, unrepeatable and specific for that place.

Here and nowhere else.

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