The Foundation Atelier Genucchi
For thirty years, the atelier of Giovanni Genucchi (1904-1979) in Castro (Blenio Valley) was a place of creativity and inspiration. Now, more than thirty years after the artist’s death, one can still breathe in the atmosphere of a sculptor’s atelier characterised by astonishingly limited means and impressive versatility in terms of the creative solutions found. The sculptor’s plaster pieces and sculptures document his creative work, while his drawings, letters and materials such as wood and stone collected from the countryside offer valuable insight into his choices in terms of shapes and compositions. This is the rich cultural legacy which the Genucchi Atelier Foundation has set out to reappraise and preserve for at least the next thirty years. The project draws impetus from the timeless words of Virgilio Gilardoni, who described Genucchi’s work as «figures […] the inspiration for which is drawn from the shape of the stone itself and which express a sense of serenity in their characteristics in terms of shape and light effects, culminating in moments of intimate human happiness»¹.

¹ Mostra dello scultore Giovanni Genucchi, exposition’s catalogue Bellinzona, Aula Magna Scuole Nord, 24.11-16.12.1967, edited by Virgilio Gilardoni, Bellinzona 1967, p. 9.