Affi Hosts West Star & Stone Exhibition at Former NATO Base Gallery

A new exhibition opened on Monday, 7 September inside the bunker gallery of the former NATO base in Affi: “West Star & Stone – Dalla roccia alla forma”. The show features two marble works—a dove and a tank—carved from stone, and runs until 27 September. It is the first exhibition ever hosted at West Star, a site that is set to undergo cleanup and future museum development following the announcement of €7 million in state funding.

Speaking at the inauguration, Affi mayor Marco Giacomo Sega said the project marks the first real opening of West Star to the public through a cultural initiative, after four years of work to return the site to the community. Sega also announced that the first tranche of the government grant, initially expected at €70,000, is set to double to €140,000, with official confirmation expected by mid-September. The exhibition is curated by architect Laura De Stefano and developed in collaboration between the Municipality of Affi and AS.MA.VE. Consorzio Marmisti Veronesi, which aims to highlight the local stone industry and the link between raw material, craftsmanship and creativity.

The exhibition runs along the tunnel with sculptures, student works, pieces on the base’s history and design objects, ranging from stone “from rock to form” to contemporary carving techniques. Works include those by sculptors Sergio Capellini, Matteo Cavaioni, Gabriele Gottoli, Alessandro Guardini, Dario Marconi, Luciano Padovani and Oscar Sandri, as well as contributions from schools including San Zeno, Paolo Brenzoni and the Verona Academy of Fine Arts. Visitors can attend Monday to Friday 10:00–13:00 by reservation and 16:00–19:00 with free entry, while Saturday and Sunday are open 10:00–19:00 with free entry; morning reservations can be made via AS.MA.VE. at 045 6862326 or info@asmave.it.
Italian Version