Finissage of the exhibition 'Paper Garden. Thread and line: grafts, assemblages, diary-books

Green Perimeters. Artist’s Pages

Presentation of the artist’s books created by students from the ‘Duccio di Buoninsegna’ Art High School in Siena as part of “Green Perimeters. Artist’s Pages.”
The project explores the relationship between art and nature and celebrates the dialogue between the ancient texts of the library and contemporary artist’s books. Among the key reference texts is the rare 1638 volume Flora overo Cultura di fiori by the Sienese Giovanni Battista Ferrari, featuring engravings based on works by great masters such as Pietro da Cortona and Guido Reni. These illustrate the evolution of the famous Italian-style gardens and the period’s strong focus on the aesthetics of green spaces. Students from classes 3A Architecture and 3E Figurative Arts studied the theory in the library with curator Beatrice Pulcinelli and carried out workshops with the Art High School teachers Manola Bilenchi, Giorgio Montenovo, Veronica Finucci, and Carmelo Sapienza. Now in its third consecutive year, the project is part of the interdisciplinary activities of the Paths for Transversal Skills and Orientation (PCTO), supported by Vice Principal Giovanni Pala and Headmaster Federico Frati.

Nose on Display. An Olfactory Journey

An original olfactory journey, guided by Gloria Del Dottore from Profumeria Nella, accompanied by the exhibition curator Beatrice Pulcinelli and the director of the State Archives of Siena, Cinzia Cardinali. This exclusive sensory experience invites participants to explore the artistic world of Primarosa Cesarini Sforza through scents and storytelling, weaving olfactory notes with materials, handmade papers, fabrics, and brightly colored silk threads—symbols of her experiences across Tuscia, America, Greece, and Morocco. The perfume, with its invisible language that, like a thread, connects, evokes, and unites, will be a surprising protagonist of the event. The journey also includes a site-specific installation inspired by the “Orto e Giardino dei Semplici,” located in the Former Refectory Rooms of Santa Maria della Scala.

The catalogue dedicated to the exhibition “Paper Garden. Thread and Line: Grafts, Assemblies, Diary-Books,” published by AAIE Center for Contemporary Art, is available for purchase at the museum’s bookshop.