Sergio Fiorentino Transforms Radda in Chianti Into an Open-Air Gallery
Blue horizons.
This summer, the medieval village of Radda in Chianti has become more than a postcard-perfect Tuscan destination—it has become an open-air gallery. Radda Arte 2026 presents the work of Sicilian painter and sculptor Sergio Fiorentino, whose monumental paintings, sculptures, and installations weave through the village’s streets and piazzas creating a dialogue between contemporary art and centuries-old architecture.
Fiorentino’s signature is his use of ultramarine blue. “Blue is the colour of antiquity—lapis lazuli, the stone of the Madonna,” he said when I visited the artist in his hometown of Noto, Sicily. “It is a colour with positive feelings and emotions and the very material of my characters.” Saints, enigmatic faces, and mythological references emerge across walls and public spaces, inviting visitors to experience the town not simply as spectators but also as participants in a visual journey.
Curated by Mila Sturm, the exhibition extends beyond the historic centre to the nearby Romanesque Church of Santa Maria Novella. “In the luminous village of Radda in Chianti, this blue rises to meet the Tuscan sky and dissolves into it, like a thought carried by light,” Sturm says. “Sergio Fiorentino’s works do not seek to occupy space: they emerge from it and breathe, revealing what remains visible yet deeply felt.” Running through September 20, Radda Arte 2026 demonstrates how contemporary art can enrich a historic setting without overwhelming it.
