Open Call – Partecipate in the making of a new artwork by Cecilia Vicuña 14-28 March 2026
04.03.2026 - 24.03.2026 from 8:00 to 18:00
Open Call – Partecipate in the making of a new artwork by Cecilia Vicuña
14-15 March 2026
On the occasion of Cecilia Vicuña’s exhibition El glaciar ido (The vanished glacier / Il ghiacciaio scomparso), the artist and the Education Department of Castello di Rivoli organize an Open Call to the public, inviting also schools, associations and families from the communities of Rivoli, Valle di Susa, Turin and beyond to contribute to the making of a brand- new artwork.
In line with her artistic practice, which pays close attention to the places she encounters and their geological, human, and mythological histories, Vicuña is developing a new exhibition project for Castello di Rivoli that directly involves local communities. The project will focus on the production of a new quipu. Quipus, from the ancient Andean civilisations (the word means “knots” in Quechua), are an early form of writing consisting of knotted cords used to record information, including historical, narrative, administrative, or astronomical data. By referencing this type of artefact, Vicuña’s contemporary quipus become immersive installations that cross both space and time.
Everyone is welcome to contribute to the artwork by collecting small organic and plant-based materials found locally, such as tiny fragments or naturally dried elements. These materials can come from areas around Collina Morenica in Rivoli, including areas near lakes and rivers such as Lago di Avigliana, Dora Riparia, Dora Baltea, and Po River, or from courtyards, gardens, and parks.
The collected materials will be poetically incorporated by the artist into her new artwork, which will be installed in the Manica Lunga of the Castello. Each donor’s name will be recorded and displayed in the exhibition, in recognition of their participation and as a sign of gratitude.
The participatory nature of the work weaves together people and places, while the reference to water for the artist evokes the memory of the ancient glaciers that once dominated the landscape of Valle di Susa, where Castello di Rivoli is located, as well as the glaciers that still exist, albeit threatened by the current climate crisis, in Valle d’Aosta.
Curated by Marcella Beccaria, the exhibition Cecilia Vicuña – El glaciar ido (The vanished glacier / Il ghiacciaio scomparso) is the artist’s first solo exhibition in an Italian museum. It will be open to the public from 29th April to 20th September 2026.
What can be collected
Materials should be small and lightweight. For this project at Castello, the artist particularly welcomes small dried vegetation, including branches, twigs, seedlings, and small bamboo stems. Other materials may include: leaves, flowers, acorns, pinecones, moss, seed pods, pebbles, small debris, as well as industrial scraps, plastic fragments, wood, metal, broken jewelry or toys, and natural or synthetic fibers.
Tips for responsible collecting
- Collect only residual or fallen
- Select materials that are no longer alive or part of a living
For example: seed pods that have fallen to the ground, scattered twigs or branches along paths, and so on.
Collection activities
As part of the Open Call, the Education Department is organizing two nature-collection days on Saturday 14th and Sunday 15th March, open to schools, families, associations, and the general public.
Saturday 14 March
Morning: Collective walk from Castello di Rivoli to Pessina pond on Collina Morenica, following the traces of ancient glaciers
Afternoon: Family activities at Parco del San Grato
Sunday 28 March
Morning: Collective walk around the Great Lake of Avigliana Afternoon: Family activities at Parco del San Grato
Additional activities for schools will take place from 9th to 13th March at Parco del San Grato and in the courtyards of local schools.
How to Submit Materials
On Saturday 14th and Sunday 28th March, it will be possible to deliver materials collected independently during the Museum’s opening hours (10AM – 6PM).
For further information, please contact educa@castellodirivoli.org – Tel. +39/0119565213
Special thanks to Comune di Rivoli, Comune di Avigliana, and Ente di gestione delle aree protette delle Alpi Cozie.
Cecilia Vicuña, Semiya / Seed Song, 2015 – Courtesy of the artist
© CECILIA VICUÑA, by SIAE