The Chapel of Barolo by Sol LeWitt and David Tremlett, one of the first and most recognizable projects of recovery and enhancement of the environmental context of the Langhe with interventions of international contemporary art, turns twenty years old. Built in 1914 as a shelter from storms and hailstorms for those who worked in the surrounding vineyards and never consecrated, the Chapel of SS. Madonna delle Grazie was bought by the Ceretto family in 1970 along with 6 hectares of the prestigious Brunate vineyard, in the heart of the Barolo DOCG. Reduced to ruins after years of neglect, it has become one of the most famous buildings in the area, in fact, the Chapel of Barolo, thanks to the Ceretto family that in 1999 entrusted a modernist reinterpretation to the genius of the artists Sol LeWitt and David Tremlett, has seen a real renaissance. The creative spark has suddenly sprung up in front of a glass of Barolo and the majesty of the landscape. The artists immediately liked the idea of recovering the ruined building in a spontaneous division of the interventions: outside, geometric shapes in acid and strong colours designed by the American Sol LeWitt, master of conceptual art; inside, large backgrounds in soft colours, spread with the palm of the hand by the Englishman David Tremlett, also the author of the water reflections of the marble floor.
“I don’t think of it as a church, or even as a building, painting or sculpture. I think of it as an object, a work of art, for which to use color. ” Sol LeWitt – September 1999 from “The art newspaper”
“We wanted to light a fire on the hill.” David Tremlett – 10/09/1999 from La Stampa
To celebrate the anniversary, the Ceretto family has organised many initiatives for the Barolo Chapel scheduled from 21st and 22nd September.
PROGRAMME
KEEPING TIME
A project curated by Guy Robertson and Tony Tremlett in collaboration with the Mahler & LeWitt Studios with contributions from: Gavin Bryars, James Cave, Babatunde Doherty (Baba Ali), Tommaso Faraci, Adam Gibbons, Lina Hermsdorf, Philip Glass, Chemutoi Ketienya with Kipsigis girls, Sol LeWitt, Jason Moran, Lydia Ourahmane, Steve Reich, Caroline Shaw, Three older female singers, David Tremlett & Tim Bowman, Keef Winter.
Keeping Time is a project that includes an exhibition, the making of a vinyl and a live performance program. Inspiring key themes of the chapel: the idea of art as a result of a collaborative commitment and the shared passion of LeWitt and Tremlett for music.
On the occasion of the anniversary the book “La Cappella del Barolo di Sol LeWitt e David Tremlett. L’ultima eclissi del millennio”, published by Corraini, which collects a story by Andrea Bajani written for the occasion, comments by David Tremlett, Roberta Ceretto and Sara Molho, unpublished documents, which retrace the history and the evolution of the project that has brought to the happy bond between the Langhe and art.
OPENING
Chapel of Barolo, Località Vigneto Brunate – La Morra CN, Italia
Saturday 21st September (Free admission. The Chapel can be reached on foot or by shuttle from Piazza Vittorio Emanuele to La Morra)
4.30 pm – 9.00 pm | Distillery
KEEPING TIME – Exhibition
The exhibition “Keeping Time” includes the installation “Wall Drawing # 26” by Sol LeWitt and early mixed-media works by David Tremlett, with the special participation of Babatunde Doherty, Adam Gibbons, Lina Hermsdorf, Hiba Ismail, Lydia Ourahmane and Keef Winter.
(The exhibition will remain open until October 13rd. Opening hours: Saturday and Sunday from 3.00 pm to 6.00 pm)
ore 17.00 – 18.00 | Cappella del Barolo
CONVERSATIONS WITH DAVID TREMLETT AND ANTONELLA SOLDAINI
PRESENTATION OF VINYL
6pm – 8pm Brunate vineyard
LIVE: Gavin Bryars, James Cave, Babatunde Doherty and Keef Winter
Sunday 22nd September
6pm – Barolo Chapel
LIVE: Ezio Bosso
Reading of the text by Andrea Bajani taken from the book “L’ultima eclissi del millennio” (published by Corraini)
Free admission subject to availability.
Reservations required: eventi@ceretto.com.
The Chapel can be reached on foot or by shuttle from Piazza Vittorio Emanuele to La Morra.