The Casa dei Pesci project, an underwater art initiative originally launched in 2012 in Maremma to combat illegal fishing and promote fish repopulation, is expanding to the Argentario promontory in Tuscany. Five marble sculptures by artists including Corrado Levi, Andrea Marini Leandri, Francesca Bonanni, Anna Torre, Abdulkadir Hocaoglu, Nikolas Maniatakos, and Wimar Van Ommen will be installed on the seabed along the southwestern coast, forming a submerged park accessible to divers and snorkelers. The works will be presented on June 12 in Porto Santo Stefano and submerged on July 3, accompanied by 3D-printed bio-attractive modules and tiles designed to foster the regrowth of Posidonia oceanica, a key Mediterranean seagrass.
This project matters because it merges contemporary art with ecological restoration, using submerged sculptures as artificial reefs to enhance marine biodiversity while drawing public attention to ocean conservation. By transforming the seabed into an evolving exhibition space, Casa dei Pesci redefines public art as a tool for environmental activism, addressing urgent issues like pollution and resource exploitation. The initiative also highlights the growing trend of art-driven ecological interventions in fragile coastal areas, demonstrating how cultural projects can directly contribute to ecosystem recovery.