It all started from a painting found in the waste that Silvestro Catelli, administrator of Baseco Srl of Villanova d’Albenga, decided to exhibit in the corridors of the administrative offices of the company. Since that moment, the environmental platform specialized in the management of hazardous waste and services dedicated to the world of the environment and ecology, has started hosting a modern art gallery with artists and photographers from all over Italy who have exhibited works in the great Baseco warehouses.
Silvestro Catelli became passionate about art thanks to his friend the gallery owner Daniele De Cia, after the first exhibitions, he launched into a unique adventure: he first thought of reviving his office and then the 2 thousand square meters of his company that occupies a total area of 10 thousand square meters.
On display the #basecogallery hosts the works of Luna Berlusconi, Sergio Olivotti, Mr Fijdor, Ale Puro, Luca Borchio, Christian Costa, Mariangela Antese, Cindy Press Art, Bruno Volpez, Obey Giant, Pongo, Matteo Buratto, an artist who boasts participations in the Venice Biennale, just to name a few. Day after day, industry and art have begun to go hand in hand.
It is a singular project that Silvestro «Silver» Catelli carries out with systematicity, rigor and passion. «Here there is a lot of space and we can host giant posters, photographs, installations and artistic works of all shapes and sizes. The permanent ones were created by prominent personalities from the world of contemporary art who understood and appreciated the spirit of our initiative “, says with great enthusiasm the owner of the company who prefers the label of” conductor “of his company that handles 45 thousand tons of waste a year.
Baseco has 1300 customers in its portfolio spread across Piedmont, Liguria, Lombardy and Tuscany. But it is the artistic spirit of «Silver» that allows you to conquer and involve you. The large external wall of the company structure welcomes visitors to the «#basecogallery». It has been enriched with a work with an unequivocal communicative capacity. It was created by the artist from the Marche region Giulio Vesprini. Invited by Baseco Srl to create a mural on the external wall of the building in Villanova, Vesprini created a work of great emotional impact, called «SWEET», with patience and rigor. Through geometric backgrounds that see the insertion of phytomorphic elements inside them, the work shows itself as an opportunity for dialogue and relationship with the environment, inviting us to reflect on the role of ecology.
Silvestro Catelli focuses so much on the union between art and environment that he has brought to Liguria a project, perhaps unique in the national territory. Working with art critics Francesca Bogliolo and Claudia Andreotta, the ZeroVolume Association of Enrica Fracchia Morelli and Alessandro Scarpati of the Artender Gallery in Alassio started with the restoration of part of the interior spaces, now used as display walls.
“Silver” himself describes the initiative: “We hosted several exhibitions and even school children were enthusiastic – he says – We also combined extraordinary works of modern art with ten events that reached the art of recycling. important objectives from the critics ». Coloring the company is also a way to make the workplace more welcoming for the staff. “The idea – says Catelli – was also liked by the 38 employees and the 3 external collaborators”. Art hand in hand with industry which has also made it possible to collect important numbers: the 2021 budget closed with a turnover of 9.8 million euros thanks to the 15 vehicles and 200 bins that transport paper, plastic, oil, medicines, plant production waste, but also chemicals and hazardous waste. A company that has successfully managed to combine work with the beauty of art.
Just beyond the Aurelia Bis outlet, near the Hippodrome of flowers and the Rivierairport, it is almost impossible to understand the kind of activity of the Baseco. «That is precisely the beauty, our main feature – smiles Silvestro Catelli – Having been able to transform part of the 10 thousand square meters into an art gallery. There are artists who have wished to exhibit their works after understanding our spirit of openness to the environment and respect for the planet ». Speaking of which. One of the next ideas of the volcanic Catelli are the exhibitions with «traveling works». «Our trucks will host the works created by national and non-national artists – he announces – There will be no company logos. In fact, our will is only to enhance the beauty of art in all its forms and above all to make it travel everywhere ».