CONTEST 2019 - Author's Apiary

"If the bee disappeared from the face of the earth, man would have only four years to live" – ANONIMUS

This phrase attributed to the famous scientist Albert Einstein, is a historical forgery but contains a small truth and I would like to bring to light the vital need of these pollinating insects.

My passion for the world of bees and the approach to the fascinating world of art led me to think and propose a renewal in the method of displaying the apiary not only as a collection of "colored houses" placed chaotically in the territory, but as a a work of art that integrates harmoniously with the landscape.

I would like to be able to get public awareness both locally and globally, through art in order to bring people closer to this fantastic world of this insect, unfortunately unknown to many.

The bees so simple at first glance hide a enchanting world and rich in virtue. Suffice it to say that, even thousands of years ago, the great Latin poet Virgilio in his famous work "Le Georgiche" extolled the organization of bees to the maximum, praising them for their activities. In the same way, art has influenced us for millennia, from the first rocky design to today with digital art.

These two opposite elements, at first glance, are so intertwined and manage to influence the environment around us.

Art can be a means to the fate of bees.

"Author's Apiary" means actively intervening in support of the environment, safeguarding nature in the interests of all.

The proposal is aimed at raising awareness of the bee world through art, it is aimed at all lovers of nature and art, foodies, those who love genuine products, those who are aware of the importance of environmentally friendly activities for defence nature.  Not only to make the hives unique, which will be embellished thanks to the graphic and pictorial techniques of the artists involved, but focuses on the importance of bees as indicators of the quality of the environment and for the continuity of the food resources of the through pollination and honey production.

Each artist will be given the front part of the hive that will have to be embellished according to its inimitable artistic flair. The project will develop during the year 2019 and will reach its final stage in 2020 when the 10 works will be auctioned in order to involve more and influence public opinion and bring to the highest levels "the work of art" that for millennia has managed to create this extraordinary mytnottero.

The charity auction that will take place (in the definition phase) you will be able to win the authentic work of the artist and who has "lived" for an entire season beekeeping in contact with a family of bees and the seasonality of events.

This concept was designed to ensure that the work is unique and carries with it an indelible sign of both the artist and the incessant work of the bee and nature.

The "Apiary d'Author" will be placed in the territory of the Municipality of Orta San Giulio, more precisely within the property of the Hotel Bocciolo.

It will consist of 10 beehives produced by Hobby Farm and will be arranged on a terrace overlooking the lake.

The ten fronts are produced by the Pungiglione Social Cooperative Society – ONLUS, made of PEFC Certified Spruce Spruce Spruce Spruce Val of Fiemme or Austria, manufactured at the social cooperative in Tuscany. The purchase of the fronts was made to support the social project of the Community Pope John XXIII of which The Pungiglione is part as it welcomes at the family homes disadvantaged people and engaged in the laboratories for a path of rehabilitation through work commitment.

Some works, given the remoteness and characteristic of the artist who uses digital art, were made using high-resolution printing thanks to PMF93.

Thanks to Bovere granites for allowing the use of the Alpine Green marble owned and the subsequent processing of some components.

Each will be colored with agena paint of ecoEvergreen for organic atoxic opaque wood composed of linen oil containing mineral pigments and lands.

The each front made by the artists will be installed on the hives on April 13/14, 2019 (depending on the climatic conditions).

The 10 families will be purchased by Beekeeping Frassini.

The hive will be accompanied by 2 apples and apiscampo for the production season.

The family will be conducted by biological method, no clipping of the queen wings, blockage of the summer brood and treatments carried out during the year only with oxalic acid dripped in the summer and sublimated in the winter.

The apiary will be of a permanent type and the natural blooms of the area will be followed, hoping in the optimal climatic conditions will try to obtain through the 3 main blooms the honeys of: acacia, milleflowers and chestnut. Each honey will be taken a sample of 100g and sent to the Piana Research laboratory for pollen analysis to identify the correct composition for suitable labelling.

Regular inspections will be carried out during the year to view the status of the family.

After a year, the front painted by the artists will be disassembled around 11/12 April 2020 (depending on the climatic conditions) and a new front will be placed.

It focuses on the importance of bees as indicators of the quality of the environment and for the continuity of the planet's food resources, through pollination and honey production. Bringing people closer to this fascinating world and being able to raise awareness of this insect as if they were entering an art gallery for the pleasure of admiring a work by a great artist.

The bees with their incessant work will give character to the back of the front leaving indelible marks such as fragments of propolis, wax etc.; while the artist will leave his mark on the front in order to embellish, according to his pictorial technique and graphics, this simple panel of fir.

The intention is, through the auction that will take place in 2020, to be able to obtain a rich proceeds that will be allocated to these initiatives:

Finally, during the year will be April 2019- April 2020, a crowdfunding campaign 'Adopt an Arnia' will be launched: with a contribution from 1 euro up to the maximum quota of 150 euros you can receive from simple gadgets related to the initiative to products hive. This will trigger a positive action to safeguard the environment, bees and enhance the territory.

Those who adhere to the "Apiary d'Author" initiative have the advantage of winning a unique artistic work, to be sure of the authenticity of the products themselves.

During the year 2020 it has the opportunity to "live" the production cycle, actively participating in certain stages of production both through Apiary visits and remote, by computer or conventional correspondence.

The initiative described will be governed by written agreements, based on the utmost seriousness, fairness and transparency.

In autumn 2019 the project will continue with a day of knowledge, tasting and approach to the world of honey and tasting of honey through a light course made by Piana Research.

The municipality of Orta San Giulio will identify brownfield sites where the plant estates will be sowing in green areas with plant species suitable to attract the pollinator bees, and in a spot of oil to be able to involve the neighboring municipalities.

This intervention is intended to set a good example and raise awareness among citizens on a really important issue such as biodiversity and sustainability. Bees are responsible, through pollination, for much of the crop and represent a cornerstone of nature's diet and balance. The disappearance of bees is a serious risk that we must avoid.

Of course ours is a small project, but it could trigger a virtuous process. Improving the environment in which we live can, starting with small actions.

Pollinators protect biodiversity, they are valuable sensors to monitor the quality of the air and the life around us. Apiarios allow bio-monitoring studies: from the analysis of honey and wax you can obtain important data for the parameters of environmental pollution and the health of our places.

Giving a future to bees means giving a future to ourselves. Breeding bees can be a response to the crisis that has hit the hives, as well as the way to have available excellent honey.

The spread of beekeeping on the shores of Lake Orta is a symptom of a growing sensitivity to the environment and to its own diet. Beekeeping means protecting bees, sheltered from pesticides, tinctics and herbicides that are now used massively in the countryside, causing the death of these precious pollinating insects.

The project in April 2020 will be at its peak because the author's fronts will be dismantled and the auction will be auctioned off.

Collaterally we will start other initiatives related to the world of bees and will start the installation of the permanent station "Honey Factory" made by Serra1938 in collaboration with Arch. Francesco Faccin.

Thanks to the Museum of the Territory and Bees of Vezzi Portio will be move some ancient and precious artifacts from every corner of the world. Thanks to the municipal administration of Vezzi Portio for the support.

Other events - to be defined - will also be finalised in the two days.

But this is only the beginning, because the idea is to realize in the following years other satellite apiaries always with the same concept of "Apiary d'Author" from which a limited edition of honey obtained from the new apiaries installed in the disused areas and recovered and will be distributed in containers made of pure beeswax and the packaging will depict an image of the work of the artists. Finally, the desire to create "Bee Hotels" within these recovery areas to create a home for solitary bees, for other pollinating insects and not that they are of great importance to enrich biodiversity to control parasites and improve the health of ecosystems.