[AR L 9] PINACOTECA DEI MONTI LUCRETILI

On several occasions, communication on environmental protection uses large predators as testimonials: the appeal that wolves and bears have on kids has been wisely used in order to increase attention on environments subject to protection due to the richness of biodiversity that they guard. The Pinacoteca dei Monti Lucretili project moves from an alternative perspective to the promotional strategies in place: to propose the very idea of ​​biodiversity (understood as the multitude of species and the relationships that bind them) as a strong and attractive image. The wonder that the kaleidoscope of different life forms provides immediately returns the magic of interspecies relationships and their balance: this is the very purpose of the Pinacoteca project itself.

​

A magical but delicate balance that can only be observed in protected areas, such as that of the Parco Naturale Regionale dei Monti Lucretili.

A linguistic hypothesis indicates 'pile of stones' as the possible origin of the toponym 'Lucretili'. It is in fact a harsh territory, rich in scree and rocky spurs, where however a humid but ventilated microclimate reigns which favors lush vegetation.

Among motocross enthusiasts and Roman survivalists it is nicknamed the Amazon of Lazio, because in the hot period the woods are impenetrable tangles that are wonderful to cross but where it is easy to lose orientation.

Agriculture is absent, pastoralism is marginal: this extreme offshoot of lower Sabina offers a postcard of the relationship between man and wild nature in pre-industrial Italy, a landscape as fascinating as the one portrayed by painters on grand tours in the 19th century.

In 1989, to safeguard this environmental and historical heritage, the Parco Naturale Regionale dei Monti Lucretili (Lucretili Mountains Regional Natural Park) was established. From that important initiative began a slow but constant process of reinvigoration of the unique ecosystems present in a territory that is naturally sheltered but still close to the metropolitan area of ​​Rome.

Archaeological Records, which has chosen its headquarters precisely in the municipality of Licenza located in the center of the Parco,

in order to take an active part in the protection of the territory, has developed a curatorial proposal for the creation of a permanent

exhibition dedicated to wildlife protection.

A multi-faceted gallery of works which, through the juxtaposition of different styles and languages, tends to restore the intensity and

vitality of this environmental complexity. An animal art gallery, as varied and original as a fantastic bestiary, which at the same time

creates a visual synthesis of the variety of species present in the Parco, thus becoming an ideal context for teaching practice and cultural promotion.

The first action of the project is the creation of a permanent collection that is an aesthetic synthesis of the local fauna.

AR curators made a selection of around 100 animals starting from insects and invertebrates and inevitably ending with the golden eagle, which corresponds to a selection of as many artists. The selection of those invited to contribute to the Pinacoteca dei Monti Lucretili is international and extremely varied. Artists coming from contemporary art coexist with those who work in other expressive territories such as comics, street art, illustration, textile design and graphics.

Finally, the high number of participants indicates the open nature of the project: a permanent collection that can grow over time, split up by reaching other villages located in the Parco territory, and eventually become nomadic across other protected areas in central Italy.