It is quite remarkable that a little village like Monti di Villa, perched in the hills above Bagni di Lucca, has its own theatre, the Circolo Teatro, and manages to put on such interesting events. Sunday evening was a particularly good example, bringing together art, music, chestnuts and, above all, a very friendly gathering of local people.
The occasion featured the work of Tyler Moorehead, an American-born artist who has settled in the Bagni di Lucca area. A graduate of London’s Royal College of Art, Tyler works with sculpture and installation, often exploring folklore, identity and the stories contained in everyday materials. Her striking installation, a tall construction of dark timber, gilded shapes, woven materials and a bright blue stone, provided an intriguing centrepiece, a kind of primaeval guardianship shrine.. We were encouraged to get close and explore its different textures by touch.
The music was equally unconventional. Alessia Anastassopulos on violin, Eugenio Sanna on guitar and Giuliano Tremea adding vocals created what I would call a kind of aleatoric improvisation. Rather than a conventional concert, it was a spontaneous sound conversation, with violin, guitar and voice weaving in and out of one another.
And then, of course, there were the chestnuts. With the autumn harvest in full swing, we heard a little about their importance to the history and traditions of these mountains and were treated to samples of some really excellent castagnaccia and even a little chestnut soup. Both were delicious.
What made the evening particularly enjoyable, though, was the atmosphere. It was as much a social occasion as an artistic one, with neighbours and friends chatting over an aperitivo, enjoying the music, discussing the artwork and sampling the local food.
It is wonderful that a small village like Monti di Villa can sustain its own theatre and use it to bring people together for events of this kind. A little art, a little experimental music, some excellent chestnut cooking and a great deal of good company. Not a bad way to spend a Sunday evening in the hills!