The Palazzuolo sul Senio dairy, owned by CLAI, is joining forces with the Enel Group company and the Tuscan municipality after its 2023 renovation to revitalize the over-8-meter structure located near the restaurant area. The inauguration took place yesterday, with music and tastings.
President Giovanni Bettini: "Andrea Pelliconi's splendid work perfectly conveys the sense of nature, harmony, and serenity that we hope our green space evokes in those who come here to enjoy CLAI and Faggiola products."
Milan, August 2024 – One hundred square meters of color, beauty, and joy. The electrical tower cabin owned by E-Distribuzione , an Enel Group company, stands out against the splendid panorama of Palazzuolo sul Senio, within the area where the recently redeveloped Faggiola dairy is located. It becomes an artistic heritage available to the local community . Thanks to the collaboration between CLAI , the agri-food cooperative that owns Faggiola, Enel, and the Municipality , it was decided to invite Imola-based artist Andrea Pelliconi , better known as Fungo , to unleash his creativity and transform the tower into a new asset available to the community and the many tourists who visit the area.
The result is extraordinary. The four sides of the turret, all eight meters high, now house a large nature-inspired mural , filled with trees and animals of various species. The splendid mountains of the Tuscan Apennines depicted in the background, their undulating lines creating a spectacular interplay of continuity with reality.
"Last year, the extensive renovation of the Faggiola dairy was completed, radically transforming the facility," emphasizes Giovanni Bettini , president of CLAI. "The green area in front was also affected, with the creation of the new Faggiola Refreshment Point, complete with a picnic area featuring four covered huts. This service has made the stopover even more refreshing for tourists passing through the area. We immediately considered the presence of this tower, which is both necessary and physically evident. We have to sincerely thank Andrea Pelliconi for his splendid work, which now gives this facility a completely new look. His work perfectly conveys the sense of nature, harmony, and serenity that we hope our green area evokes in those who come here out of curiosity or to purchase and enjoy CLAI and Faggiola products on site. We have always believed that quality is a value that should be applied not only to products, but to everything that affects people's lives."
The mural took nearly two weeks of work , approximately twelve hours a day. The most complex part, however, was the design, which obviously had to take into account the turret's unique architectural features and ensure it fit harmoniously into its surrounding context .
"I particularly enjoy reproducing nature," explains artist Andrea "Fungo" Pelliconi . "When I received the request, I immediately thought of some designs that were consistent with this environment. I then experimented with cardboard models until I found the creative solution that most convinced me. I had fun playing with the foreground and background, capturing some of nature's protagonists and drawing inspiration, for the trees, from British painter David Hockney. What gives me the most satisfaction is the fact that I managed to "make" the edges of the structure disappear, along with the door and even the cables. I wanted this mural to convey a good mood and for the choice of colors to radiate joy. In creating it, I thought especially of the many children who will pass by here, and I'd like them to be surprised and fascinated by what they see."
"Our town is enriched by a true work of art," declared Marco Bottino , mayor of Palazzuolo sul Senio, "which fits perfectly into the natural context surrounding Palazzuolo, while also enhancing a concrete electrical substation."
This initiative is part of a larger project being worked on by E-Distribuzione, which seeks to transform numerous electrical substations scattered across the country into works of street art, created by renowned graffiti artists and writers.
"This important collaboration with CLAI and the Municipality of Palazzuolo sul Senio," emphasizes Federico Selvatici , Head of the Florence and Province Territorial Unit at E-Distribuzione, "allows us to convey a message of sustainability and environmental awareness, which is valuable for the local area. For E-Distribuzione, the initiative is part of a broader commitment to urban redevelopment, which combines sustainability, innovation, and respect for the environment. These projects have transformed electrical substations from strategic electricity distribution assets to works of art. Over the years, with the projects Cabine del Paradiso, Cabine d'autore, Cabine in Rosa, and Energia a colori, E-Distribuzione has embellished hundreds of infrastructures throughout Italy and Tuscany, creating a sort of open-air museum that continues to grow through the collaboration of institutions, artists, schools, and associations."
Last night, the inauguration of the new tower took place at the Caseificio Faggiola dairy. Among those in attendance were CLAI President Giovanni Bettini, the mayor of Palazzuolo sul Senio Marco Bottino, and the artist Andrea "Fungo" Pelliconi. The event was enlivened by musical entertainment and a tasting at the Faggiola refreshment point.
