A kilometer of mosaics: the artistic promenade of Marotta in the Marche region


For the past few years, the town of Marotta in the Marche region has kicked off a project to decorate its waterfront with mosaics, which already cover one kilometer of promenade. And in the coming months hundreds more meters will be added.

A kilometer of waterfront entirely covered in mosaics: more than two hundred in all. This is the project of the town of Marotta, in the Marche region, which in 2015 launched the initiative to deliver to citizens and tourists a colorful promenade created by Italian and international artists. The urban regeneration project, titled Mosaichiamo la città (Let’s Mosaic the City), is organized by the Chiaro Scuro cultural association and is supported by the municipal administration of Mondolfo, of which Marotta is a hamlet.

The technique used, called “Trencadis” (it consists of the reuse of irregular fragments of ceramic, glass and other materials that turn from waste into artistic mosaics), is the same one that the great Antoni Gaudí used for his works in Barcelona. The mosaics in Marotta, which is also a Blue Flag for its beaches, cover the low wall that divides the beach from the promenade and the bike path, and organizers let it be known that they are destined to grow because in the coming months another 500 meters of promenade will be added to the existing works, on which volunteers will lend their services to create the work.

Each mosaic has a defined theme. For example, a mosaic against gender violence, The Dance of the Red Shoes (45 meters of mosaics, depicting more than 130 red shoes that bear the signatures of many artists, including international ones), one on child malnutrition, those celebrating Marotta and the Marche region, mosaics dedicated to the sea (such as Giuliano De Minicis’ The Winter Sea, complete with the signature of Enrico Ruggeri: it was in fact Marotta that celebrated the very famous song, and Ruggeri has also been an honorary citizen since 2015). So many mosaics are part of the Frammentiuniti initiative, created in collaboration with artists from the area and beyond. Like Big fish, conceived by Francesco Diotallevi and made fragment by fragment together with Chiaro Scuro. It can be seen near the pier, a place that offers a splendid view of the Conero Riviera.

Every year a mosaic is dedicated to a major social theme, involving hundreds of artists from all over the world. In 2021 the theme of peace has been chosen, and on September 21 the artistic twinning project will be presented together with mosaic artist and Ambassador for Peace in Sousse (Tunisia) Bady Essid Jaballah. An impressive 50-meter mosaic will be unveiled on the International Day of Peace. And the Mosaichiamo la Città festival is already planned for 2022. The whole thing also sees the participation and support of big companies: Vinavil is a partner in the project, joining Edil Marotta. And it is with all these credentials that Marotta is preparing for the reboot of tourism.

A kilometer of mosaics: the artistic promenade of Marotta in the Marche region
A kilometer of mosaics: the artistic promenade of Marotta in the Marche region


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