The Fattoria delle Celle and the famous Gori Collection

Completely immersed in nature, hidden among the trees of Santomato, in the province of Pistoia, is the Fattoria delle Celle. A truly impressive complex that includes three different buildings and a park of dozens of hectares. Inside is the "Gori Collection", one of the most beautiful and richest collections of contemporary art in Italy. The birth of this unique place is due to Giuliano Gori, the collector who opened the doors of Villa Celle to the public in 1982.

In the beginning, only 16 works could be seen, while today there are more than seventy. Artists from all over the world have brought their installations here, freely choosing where to place them. Visiting the Fattoria delle Celle, it is impossible not to be touched by the beauty of each element of art, each one representing a different truth.
Each artist wanted to tell his own vision of life, leaving the interpretation to the observer. It is an experience full of discoveries and surprises in which you can immerse yourself and let yourself go.

The most significant works of the collection

It takes about four hours to visit all the works. The itinerary goes through the exterior and interior of the Fattoria, with installations hidden in practically every corner. It is advisable to see them all without missing anything.

The size and beauty of the Gori Collection can be seen from the entrance, thanks to the work "Grande Ferro" by Alberto Burri.
In the square in front of the entrance to the villa, a massive steelwork has been placed that symbolically recalls the shape of a red onion.
The idea that everything transforms and that everything conceals a double identity is thus conveyed from the outset.

Luigi Mainolfi's work is also beautiful: "For those who fly". The work is a bench located right on the roof of the Fattoria delle Celle, created in honor of Pina Gori (the collector's wife) who liked to watch the sunset from the terrace.

Another particularly well-known and appreciated work must also be mentioned: “La cabane éclatée aux 4 salles” by Daniel Buren. It is a house made of a mixture of mirrors and concrete walls, where light plays a fundamental role in defining the spaces.

The perception of one's own image, reflected in the mirror of the house itself, changes in relation to the point of observation. 

On the lake, instead, there is the installation by Fausto Melotti “Tema e variazioni II”. The work occupies a large part of the surface of the lake, in a mixture of steel elements, spheres and chains. The whole thing moves, pushed by the wind, producing unique and characteristic sounds.