Provincia Cosmica. Intervista a Giuseppe Stampone, l’artista che ha scelto il Gran Sasso come casa
Italian contemporary artist Giuseppe Stampone, born in Cluses in 1974, has returned to his native Abruzzo after years living in New York, Rome, and Brussels. Following the loss of his parents, he established his studio in the province of Teramo, where he is restoring a farmhouse under the Gran Sasso mountain to house the Archivio Giuseppe Stampone-Maria Crispal and an artist residency called Abruzzo Mon Amour. Stampone won the PAC2021 prize for his project "La natura delle cose," which explores his bond with the region and will create an archive dedicated to the flora and fauna of the Monti della Laga, Parco Nazionale d’Abruzzo, and Gran Sasso areas.
This article matters because it highlights a significant trend in the contemporary art world: established artists choosing to leave major international art hubs to reinvest in their home regions, fostering local cultural ecosystems. Stampone's initiative combines a personal archive, a participatory collection built through exchanges with artists like Marinella Senatore and Michaël Borremans, and an environmental residency program, demonstrating how artists can act as catalysts for both cultural and ecological preservation in peripheral areas. His reflection on the body as "architecture of intelligence" also offers a philosophical framework for understanding place and belonging in art practice.