Rome, Italy, 2009
What makes this park a work of land art is the single-minded concept steering the project: Peace.
This concept finds its expression in the emblematic placing of three large peperino stone sculptures representing the three major monotheistic religions: Christianity, Judaism and Islam.
The sculptures have been placed in such a manner that all three are constantly visible as if to present an image of a possible dialogue.
Not only a hoped for dialogue, but an ancient, real and deep one because the founding principles of the three religions—peace, unity and justice—are the same.
—Marina Pizziolo
The three large sculptures represent important symbolic elements of the three religions: the Christian cross, the Jewish menorah and the Islamic minaret with the star and crescent moon.
A fourth sculpture simply represents a face with a hand holding an olive branch: because peace lies in the hands of people.
—Marina Pizziolo
De Conciliis’ commitment to the environment and his ideals of peace between peoples create a unity between his landscape paintings and the park, thereby uniting both subjective and social aspects harmoniously together.
—Fulco Pratesi
Here de Conciliis has reworked 10 hectares of land to create a park dedicated to world peace.
Within the park, he has planted flowers and trees native to the Mediterranean.
—Fulco Pratesi,
Founder and President of the World Wide Fund for Nature
This message of peace is found not only in the sculptures themselves but in the park as a whole: in the gentle pathways, in the colors of leaves that change with the seasons, and in the inspiring sunsets.
It is found in this corner of Rome that has been restored with intelligence and a sense of social responsibility.
Because even conserving natural beauty is an act of peace.
—Marina Pizziolo
We'll never obtain peace in the world until we are at peace with ourselves.
—Dalai Lama
Peace is not just a dream. It can become a reality. But to construct it, we need to be capable of dreaming.
—Nelson Mandela
Ettore de Conciliis has known how to tell many stories.
And to fully understand the roots of his latest land art work, the creation of his Park of Peace in Rome, you need to look back over his history as an artist.
Ettore has always viewed art as a means of being in tune with the world and what is happening around him.
It’s not mere coincidence that in recent years nature has made up most of his explorations aimed at offering us a possibility of beauty and poetry.
—Marina Pizziolo