Where can one find a Zoroastrian altar, a herd of alpaca, a Shinto temple, and a smattering of often amusing sculptures? There’s no need to travel to the four corners of the world to find them for they are all here situated near the shores of that lake beloved of Puccini, Massaciuccoli.
Born from the renovation of a rural building, at the behest of the Pomara Scibetta Foundation, the Podere Lovolio is placed on the flat, fenland-like expanse leading to the shores of the Tyrhennian Sea.
In this pleasant environment the podere hosts holistic retreats and training courses. It also hosts luscious fruit trees, vegetable gardens and olive grove, producing a delicious organic oil.
How did this mixture of pragmatism and esotericism arise? Its founder Doctor Scibetta, now approaching eighty, says ‘the farm was born from a deep desire of mine, that of producing an excellent olive oil with production methods that were simpler and more ecological than those normally used. Once the farmhouse was renovated, the olive trees planted, the animals introduced I wanted to do something to enhance and develop the local sensitivity and artistic vocation of the area. I, therefore, financed the creation of a series of works by local artists. I not only wanted works of art to “tell” stories and show paths, but also to suggest questions that everyone can try to answer. In short, the aim of art is to lead everyone to question themselves about living beings, about the world around us, about the beauty of creation and its contradictions. For me Art is the best imprint that every man can leave behind: it summarizes the beauty of the world”.
Fine and highly valid thoughts indeed! Agriculture here has been transformed from a material to a spiritual experience through the vision of this rather special doctor.
We wandered down the avenue of the seasons with its metaphorical statues.
We stepped down a path displaying a coloured puzzle reformed into different nature shapes.
Crossing a luscious olive grove we found ourselves by the side of a peaceful lakelet with a Japanese shinto-buddhist temple on an island in its centre.
As the building floated on placid waters I was reminded that we too are surely directed to float on the timelines of our lives and regain the peace and harmony which is our true destiny. In this world where ignorance and fear breed ever more differences and combative oppositions it is absolutely essential to keep this ideal in one’s mind. Thank you doctor Scibetta for reminding us of these simple but too quickly forgotten truths.
Incidentally we had the whole of this arcane plot to ourselves. Not even the farm shop was open. The place, apart from a Senegalese who was strimming the orchards, seemed deserted, although very well-kept. The animals were contented and a lovely peace permeated the podere. Let’s return there in the spring…
