Breath

“The Landscape listens—Shadows—hold their breath.”— Emily Dickinson

A kinetic sculpture that “breathes” with the landscape rises over the Tuscan hills.At the top of a hill in Peccioli, a small Tuscan village that in recent years has become a point of reference for contemporary art, artist Emiliano Ponzi unveils "Breath", a 10 meter high kinetic sculpture that opens and closes following the rhythm of the day.

Developed in collaboration with experiential designer Dario Spinelli and curated by Cristiano Seganfreddo, editor of Flash Art, the work becomes part of the MACCA, an open-air museum that integrates large scale works into the landscape.

Made of satin-finished steel and set on a circular base eight meters in diameter, “Breath” appears from afar as a vertical sign suspended between monument and living organism. Around its central axis, a constellation of metallic elements continuously rotates, capturing light and wind and generating a presence in constant transformation.

At the center of the structure is a mechanical flower that follows a different logic. Hidden inside, it slowly opens at dawn and closes again at sunset, following the natural cycle of light. This double movement, continuous on the outside/cyclical and almost imperceptible on the inside, gives the work its title.

Rather than representing nature, "Breath" attempts to synchronize with it. The sculpture makes visible what normally escapes perception: the passing of time, the movement of air, the variations of light across the landscape. Installed in an elevated position and immersed in the countryside, the work does not impose itself on the environment but enters into dialogue with it. From afar, it appears as a clear and iconic form; up close, it reveals a more delicate and complex choreography.

The project also reflects the transformation of Peccioli itself. Over recent decades, the village has reinvested the resources generated by its waste management system into culture and public art, building one of the most ambitious open-air collections in Italy. Today, more than seventy works are distributed throughout the territory, transforming the landscape into a diffuse museum.

With “Breath”, the collection continues to grow alongside works by internationally renowned artists such as Daniel Buren, Alicja Kwade, and Patrick Tuttofuoco, further strengthening MACCA’s role as a leading platform for site specific contemporary art in Italy.

Ponzi, whose work moves across illustration, art, and large scale installations, with collaborations including The New York Times, The New Yorker, Apple, and Hermès, as well as exhibitions such as “The Dreamer” in Shanghai and “Together” in New York, extends here his visual language into physical space. His previous project, “Under the Surface", created for the Milan Design Week, marked an important transition toward a more immersive practice.

Spinelli brings a background in experiential design and kinetic systems, having developed immersive installations and interactive environments for international brands such as Timberland, Ray-Ban, and Barilla.

“Breath” was inaugurated at dawn on May 22, in late spring, when the surrounding landscape reaches the height of its expression. A selected group of journalists and curators gathered on the grass at the foot of the sculpture to witness the flower’s first opening in the morning light.

The title is accompanied by a verse by Emily Dickinson:

“The Landscape listens—Shadows—hold their breath.”

A line that resonates with the work itself. An invitation to pause, observe, and listen to the landscape.

Peccioli website here