Oltreterra Art Project

Started in 2023, Oltreterra art project was an interdisciplinary contemporary arts project, focused on the artistic experimentation of the ancient Sienna pigment. For this project, the artist, Samantha Passantiti, made a cycle of artworks with the pigment, first used in the 13th century, taking it from the same area where it was originally extracted. With this material, the artist experimented with the tradition of natural Sienna pigment, very important in medieval art history, and the field of contemporary art, according to her usual visual language. Passaniti deepened her personal research on natural elements in art practice, contributed to renewed sustainability awareness, and enhanced forgotten places through the history of soil use. Indeed, together with the main artistic activity, Oltreterra, thanks to its interdisciplinary identity, has been supported by several partners, such as art museums, natural history museums, scholars specialized in geology and ecology, environmental associations, and citizen unions. The Oltreterra experience has been collected in a final editorial work, including contributions by humanists and scientists.