Right on the banks of the Tusa River, which is now dried up, you’ll find one of Europe’s largest contemporary art parks. Fiumara d’Arte. It was Antonio Presti’s vision to bring to life this collective work of art in 1986.
At that time, Antonio Presti was an engineering student who had to drop out of university after his father’s unexpected death in order to keep the family business alive. The young Antonio was already a collector of contemporary art, so decided to initiate an artistic project to commemorate his father’s memory. The result is an itinerary that crosses five Sicilian municipalities – Tusa, Motta d’Affermo, Castel di Lucio, Mistretta and Reitano – and brings together art and spirituality in an intense dialogue with the Nebrodi landscape.
The word “Fiumara” is typical of the South and describes a watercourse that, even though it floods during the rainy season, is dry for the rest of the year. On these banks, surrounded by rocks and Mediterranean scrub, you’ll find some impressive sculptures created by some of the world’s most renowned artists. The works use abstract and symbolic language to celebrate the unbreakable link between humans, nature and spirituality.
Each piece along the route has its own story to tell, so you can explore the park however you like.
Follow the whole route or just pick a few stops – either way, Fiumara d’Arte promises an intense and personal journey through art, memory and nature.
La materia poteva non esserci
The matter that was not there before – Pietro Consagra, 1996
The first sculpture, created by Piero Consagra, marked the beginning of the park project, which soon attracted some big names from the art world. For Presti, the Fiumara is more than just an open-air museum. It’s also a spiritual path that invites visitors – believers and non-believers alike – to confront the infinite and their own interiority.
At 18 metres high, The Matter That Wasn’t There Before stands in Tusa as a symbol of duality and introspection. This huge sculpture is a tribute to Antonio Presti’s late father.
It shows two opposing forces: black and white, solids and voids, life and absence.
Made of concrete, the structure blends the solidity of matter with the lightness of memory, creating a harmonious dialogue with the surrounding hilly landscape. The sculpture blends in perfectly with its surroundings. It feels like it’s always been there, part of the land.
It’s about finding a balance between man and nature, between what we can see and can’t. It’s like a symbolic gateway, inviting visitors to step across an imaginary border and enter a suspended dimension where time seems to lose meaning, creating space for contemplation.
Una curva gettata alle spalle del tempo
A curve thrown behind time – Paolo Schiavocampo, 1988
Just a few kilometres from Tusa, on the road to Castel di Lucio, you’ll find a sculpture that seems to be suspended between two worlds. It divides but also connects two paths. It’s a monolith made of reinforced concrete and iron that rises up at the edge of a curve, and it looks like it’s moving in a kind of sinuous way, like a metal sail brushed by the wind. It’s the wind, silent and constant, that gives this work its life. Its form aligns with the curve of the road, but at the same time goes beyond it.
Monumento per un poeta morto
Monument for a dead poet – Tano Festa, 1989
A work that welcomes you like a window opening onto infinity: “Monumento per un poeta morto” (monument for a Dead Poet), better known as “The window on the Sea”, is one of the most evocative stops at Fiumara d’Arte. You’ll find this work by Tano Festa on the beach at Villa Margi, in the municipality of Reitano, just a few steps from Castel di Tusa. It’s a tribute to his poet brother.
The frame between the sky and the sea is a great place to lose yourself in the horizon.
At the centre, there’s a black monolith on the window, which contrasts with the blue of the sea and the blue of the sky.
This huge piece of art is like a gateway to infinity, where everyone can find comfort in the everlasting beauty of the landscape.
Stanza di barca d’Oro
The Golden Boat Room – Hidetoshi Nagasawa, 1989
You’ll find this hidden gem among the rocks surrounding the Romei River. It’s a work by Hidetoshi Nagasawa, a master of essentiality and spirituality. This underground chamber is black and shiny, and it feels really quiet and peaceful, with only the faint echo of nature around you. Nagasawa has created a space where what we can see and what we can’t come together. It’s a place that seems to stand still, and it invites visitors to go on an inner journey. When you step into this room, you leave the noise of the world behind and find a special place to relax and think.
Energia Mediterranea
Mediterranean Energy – Antonio Palma, 1989
Designed in 1990 by Antonio Palma, this sculpture is located in Motta d’Affermo.
It represents a stylised sea wave that symbolically connects two worlds: the mountain and the sea. This sculpture captures the essence of the Mediterranean, transforming the surrounding landscape into a metaphor of harmony and continuity between opposing elements.
Labirinto di Arianna
Labyrinth of Ariadne – Italo Lanfredini, 1989
One of Fiumara d’Arte’s most iconic works is Italo Lanfredini’s Labyrinth of Ariadne, which dominates a promontory at Castel di Lucio. The piece is inspired by the Greek myth of Ariadne, who helped Theseus escape the labyrinth after defeating the Minotaur. The labyrinth here has no dead ends, just a smooth path that leads to the centre. This represents the journey of life, from birth to rebirth.
The ogival arch at the entrance, which symbolises Mother Earth, leads to a sinuous path, which is an invitation to explore one’s inner self. Walking through the labyrinth is a physical and spiritual experience. It’s a journey to the heart of the work and of oneself.
Arethusa
Piero Dorazio e Graziano Marini, 1989
Near the Labyrinth of Ariadne, Arethusa gives a new look to Carabinieri barracks with bright colours and neat shapes. This decorative work gives the building a whole new look, with a striking contrast between the geometry of the architecture and the energy of colour. It brings new vitality to an otherwise pretty anonymous space.
The Pettineo Museum is a great place to see art in a different setting. It’s spread among the houses in the village. Back in 1991, two hundred artists came together to create a huge canvas that spanned the length of the village. Today, bits and pieces of that work are kept in the homes of residents, turning the village into a kind of open-air museum. To see the works, just knock on the residents’ doors. It’s a great way to experience something authentic and human.
La via della bellezza
Collective sculpture, 1990
An unassuming retaining wall along the SP176 Castel di Lucio-Mistretta road has been transformed into “La Via della Bellezza”, a collaborative artwork created by forty renowned international ceramists. The terracotta surfaces convey a message of rebirth. In 2015, the work was dedicated to the new generations, with the inauguration marked by a symbolic gesture: the planting of eucalyptus trees and the burial of small clay creations, a tribute to beauty as an ethical and collective act.
Piramide 38° parallelo
Pyramid 38th Parallel – Mauro Staccioli, 2010
Fiumara d’Arte’s last great work, Mauro Staccioli’s Pyramid 38th Parallel, is a real showstopper in Motta d’Affermo. This impressive steel tetrahedron is aligned with the 38th parallel, offering a unique view of the Mediterranean Sea and the excavations of Halaesa, an ancient Siculo-Greek city.
If you want to catch the pyramid at its best, the summer solstice is the perfect time to visit for the Rite of Light. On this special day, visitors can go inside the normally closed structure and admire the rays of the setting sun filtering through an opening, which creates a really mystical and contemplative experience.
The pyramid celebrates light as a symbol of consciousness and a way to overcome ignorance. In 2021, the work was also featured in the video for Klan by singer-songwriter Mahmood, which is a tribute to the expressive power of this unique place.
