Franco Pacella Arts

Art using recycled objects is now known to the general public as Trash Art or the Art of Recycling. The artistic vein snakes through degraded plastics, tires, rusty bottle caps, or organic waste, even natural ones. Then, when this disposable ideology encounters the sea, a new underwater world is created, interpreted by artist Franco Pacella. 

He knows a lot about the sea, having lived since he was 10 in the beautiful village of Castagneto Carducci, a bit too touristy, to be honest, like nearby Bolgheri. But the sea is still that of the Etruscan coast, wild, bordering the tangled Mediterranean pine forest that absorbs its wind, scents, and the occasional scrap. Over the years, Pacella has enjoyed rummaging through the natural debris vomited up by storms, searching for unique, or at least original, things: fish bones, dried algae, stones, shells mixed with plastic and scrap metal, which, alas, are now an integral part of the ecosystem.

And from this tumbling amidst the perpetual dance of the sea waves, Pacella has drawn the protagonists of a fantastical world that seems to be increasingly becoming a habit. The creative process has led him to construct statues, small installations, and paintings with curious artistic and functional value. 

The aim? To raise public awareness of the importance of sustainability and respect for the environment? A critique of consumerism? Whatever you like. Plastic (bottles, caps, straws, tires), glass, fabrics, cans, and non-functioning appliances, transformed into unique and aesthetically pleasing pieces, reveal the hidden potential of what is discarded. Everyone can see what they want in them, like the mirrored modules that renew themselves with each visitor. One thing is certain, as we saw in the delightful exhibition in Bolgheri that just concluded: reflection is immediately triggered, highly personal and free, alive in adults and children alike, on the impact of our habits on the planet. A sincere thank you to the eclectic artist Franco Pacella, who has restored beauty to the scarce, giving it value and gifting his community with delightful works of art.

Valentina Niccolai