Walking in Val di Sella amidst Arts and Nature
The Arte Sella Association is distinguished by its particular and significant initiatives to combine the sphere of arts with that of Nature.
Among those, the ARTENATURA trail, which we describe here. It is a pleasant excursion, accessible to all, along which you can admire a series of works of art, while walking along a beautiful low altitude forest.
The works, lives and changing over time, making the visitor walk quite interesting, stimulating a variety of suggestions, reflections and considerations.
Opening photo: The house I dwell in, by Lilly Cerro - Copyright Arte Sella, photo by Giorgio Barchiesi
We thank the Associazione Arte Sella for having granted the authorization to publish the photographic material of the artworks, on which the same Association holds the copyright.
From Borgo Valsugana (TN), along the SP 40 of Val di Sella, you enter the valley, encountering at first the Information Point at the Restaurant Al Legno, then a number of possible parking areas, at various distances from the starting point.
At the Information Point you can receive a route plan, and purchase a guide that describes in detail the works on display.
About 500 meters after the Info Point, a path branches off to the right of the road, nearby the first work, Echo.
Echo, by Will Beckers - Copyright Arte Sella, photo by Giorgio Barchiesi
You walk comfortably, on a really modest slope:
Thus you come across the various works that are spread on either side of the trail, or near a turn, as The temple of love, Cross-sections of spruce logs, and then Column.
Column, by Paul Feichter - Copyright Arte Sella, photo by Giorgio Barchiesi
At a relatively short distance, other works follow, Blades of grass, and then Ecological niches.
Ecological niches, by Giuliano Orsingher - Copyright Arte Sella, photo by Giorgio Barchiesi
The trail goes on in the shadowy woods:
After that you find Germination, and then Flow.
Flow, by Armin Schubert - Copyright Arte Sella, photo by Giorgio Barchiesi
And again, Spiral, Helical holes, and then On the surface.
On the surface, by Stuart Ian Frost - Copyright Arte Sella, photo by Giorgio Barchiesi
Others follow: Rotation, A necklace, and then Verdant horn.
Verdant horn, by Johann Feilacher - Copyright Arte Sella, photo by Giorgio Barchiesi
Then you walk further, for 300-400 m:
So you come across All up!, Houses for barons in the trees, and then Sella stele.
Sella stele, by Chris Booth - Copyright Arte Sella, photo by Giorgio Barchiesi
At the next fork, you take slightly left:
After that you findTransitions, and then The house I dwell in.
The house I dwell in, by Lilly Cerro - Copyright Arte Sella, photo by Giorgio Barchiesi
At the next fork you go straight on, and soon you reach Interstices.
Interstices, by Matilde Grau - Copyright Arte Sella, photo by Giorgio Barchiesi
Right after that, at a fork, you turn all left:
The trail goes down-hill:
Shortly after a sharp turn to the right, just above the trail, you find Wolves.
Wolves, by Sally Matthews - Copyright Arte Sella, photo by Giorgio Barchiesi
You go further down-hill, and turn right:
So you walk along a cane thicket, where you find Watercore.
Watercore, by Roger Rigorth - Copyright Arte Sella, photo by Giorgio Barchiesi
After the thicket, at a fork, you go slightly left:
Then you cross a wooden bridge:
So you reach the last work of the trail, Nucleus.
Nucleus, by Armin Schubert - Copyright Arte Sella, photo by Giorgio Barchiesi
About a hundred meters more, and the trail ends up on the road:
From this point, walking to the right (west), in a kilometer and a half or so, you reach, going among verdant meadows, the area of Malga Costa and the Vegetal Cathedral, that you can enter and visit, for a fee.
Viceversa, if you walk to the left (east), on the low-traffic road, you will head back to the starting point.
■ gb, 2016-09-19