Fiumara d'Arte in Motta d'Affermo

River of Art it is among the most famous local excellences in the world, not only for the city of Motta d'Affermo but also for the whole Sicilia.

This is one of the Sicilian open-air museums most beautiful of all, capable of uniting every art within the same place, showing you everything beautiful that can be behind a work, both as something material and non-material.

In Fiumara d'Arte the artistic beauties meet the landscape ones of the surrounding area, creating a unique experience that will win you over from the first moment you set foot there, being able to enjoy the bed of Tusa river cross this territory while walking among the works of art present.

The works of Fiumara d'Arte enrich the territory of Motta d'Affermo, the medieval village which still boasts the presence of numerous historic buildings, such as the Mother Church of Maria Santissima degli Angeli and Castle of Motta d'Affermo, splendid examples of the Sicilian Middle Ages.

The History of Fiumara D'Arte

The name Fiumara d'Arte derives from Tusa river, an ancient river that ran through the Nebrodi and it flowed right into this part of the Sicilian Tyrrhenian coast.

The project was born in 1982 thanks to the interest of the patron Antonio Presti, who was the first to glimpse the potential in this territory to become something new, never seen before in Sicily. He thought of the Fiumara di Tusa as the ideal setting in which to place splendid works of art created by the most famous international artists, giving the place a totally unique value.

The first work was “Matter Could Not Have Been There” by Pietro Consagra, one of the most appreciated abstractionists of all time, who created this 18 meter high sculpture entirely in reinforced concrete. It was installed in 1986 and it was only the first of the 11 works present at Fiumara d'Arte.

The last work installed, in chronological order, was “38th Parallel – Pyramid” by Mauro Staccioli, in 2010, made of Corten steel and placed perfectly to be aligned with the 38th parallel of north latitude.

The Works of Fiumara d'Arte

During your visit to Fiumare d'Arte you will be able to admire 11 splendid works, located in a vast territory that will also allow you to discover the natural beauty of this landscape.

1. Matter Could Not Have Been There (1986): the work was created as a tribute to the author's father, who remembered him with this imposing reinforced concrete structure;
2. A Curve Thrown Behind Time (1988): sculpted by Paolo Schiavocampo, it is a particular monolith of concrete and iron;
3. Monument for a Dead Poet (1989): created by Tano Festa, it is also known to all as Window on the Sea, which with its 18 meters of height appears close to the coast;
4. Golden Boat Room (1989): first work created by a non-Italian artist, Hidetoshi Nagasawa, created underground, so much so that it is a hypogeum that mixes silence with the sounds of the surrounding nature;
5. Mediterranean Energy (1990): by Antonio di Palma, who wants to unite the sea and the mountains through a wave, which best describes Sicily from west to east;
6. Ariadne's Labyrinth (1990): created by Italo Lanfredini and placed on a hill, it aims to be an internal journey which, once you enter the labyrinth, will do nothing but give rise to thoughts about your own existence, which will accompany you until the exit, from which you will be improved;
7. Arethusa (1990): ceramic work created by Pietro Dorazio and Graziano Marini, who through the use of colors wanted to give a new look to military architecture;
8. Atelier sul Mare (1991): it is a real hotel museum with a splendid sea view, in which each room has been enriched by the art of different artists who have passed through this place;
9. Domestic Museum (1991): a large exhibition of paintings, so much so that it is known for its "Kilometer of Canvases";
10. The Wall of Life (1993): a collective work created by the most important ceramists in the world, who transformed an old wall into one of the most beautiful works of Fiumara d'Arte;
11. 38th Parallel – Pyramid (2010): the most recent work, a tetrahedron that directly overlooks the sea, creating one of the most beautiful scenarios in the entire territory.