Sojo Art and Nature Park
Artist Diego Morlin's war between the natural and human worlds is a wanderer's delight.
Sojo Park is located in Lusiana, a village in the southern Asiago plateau region of Vicenza. First conceived in 2002, architect Diego Morlin sought to place contemporary art sculptures in a natural context, recreating a new perception of time and space within an area long renowned for its extraordinarily rich cultural heritage.
After a period of much neglect, Morlin took an area that local legend attributed as being home to witches and transformed it into the area now occupied by today’s Sojo Park. Described by visitors as a mysterious and magical oasis, the lost land taken the power rumored to live within the land itself and multiplied it by the human resonance of Morlin’s many works of art interspersed within its cherry trees, oak forests and hillsides, creating a charming, natural maze of sorts.
The Sojo rock formation is charming and full of mystery. According to popular legends, it was once the dwelling of witches. What is certain, however, is that it was a natural shelter for people since the late Neolithic age.
Wending their way through the park’s paths, visitors are constantly surprised by the rich and varied scenery. Morin’s work is positioned to emphasize both natural elements (caves, ponds, centuries-old trees) and manmade constructions (terraces, lime kilns, rural buildings and gardens). The effect is one of either perfect harmony, or intentional, well-placed juxtaposition between humans, nature, art and history.
The sculptures themselves are composed of a variety of materials: stone, wood, iron, bronze, clay. While some were created in the artist’s workshop, others are site-specific installations, hewn from natural materials gathered from within Sojo Park.
As part of the Lusiana municipality Ecomuseum project, Sojo Park offers an extraordinary opportunity for visitors who wish to experience an intimate and touching relationship with nature, in conjunction with several local museums, a historic village, botanic gardens, and mills.
Know Before You Go
kids under 12: free; youth 12-18: 2€; adults: 4€; seniors over 65 years: free.
Follow us on Twitter to get the latest on the world's hidden wonders.
Like us on Facebook to get the latest on the world's hidden wonders.
Follow us on Twitter Like us on Facebook