Castel Belasi

About

Castel Belasi is a contemporary art centre dedicated to ecological thought and practice, located in Segonzone, a hamlet of Campodenno in Trentino, northern Italy. It is housed in a medieval castle at the foot of the Brenta Dolomites, probably built in the 13th century, which gave its name to the noble family of the Khuen-Belasi counts. The centre has been open to the public since 2021 and has been directed artistically by Stefano Cagol since 2023. It operates as an institution of the Municipality of Campodenno in collaboration with the MUSE – Science Museum of Trento.

A project inspired by the frescoes of Castel Belasi is the Contemporary Art Center for Eco Thought, directed by Stefano Cagol. The centre uses the castle's historic frescoes, including the Judgement of Paris, as a starting point for international contemporary art exhibitions focusing on sustainability, the human-nature relationship, and current environmental challenges. These exhibitions create a dialogue between past and present through art and science.

Notable exhibitions, such as Fragile and As Ice, have featured works by internationally renowned artists, including Ai Weiwei, Tony Cragg and AES+F integrated with the castle's historic and artistic context to raise awareness of ecological issues.

- Ethical message: The castle's Renaissance frescoes, including the Judgement of Paris, are interpreted as reminders of the consequences of human choices, a central theme of the art centre.

- Dialogue across eras: Castel Belasi combines its medieval structure and frescoes with contemporary art installations, establishing a connection between historical lessons and present and future environmental challenges.

The institution's mission is to foster dialogue between contemporary art and ecological issues, including environmental change, sustainability, and political ecology, linking the specific and the global. The curatorial project draws inspiration from the manor's historic frescoes, addressing themes of responsibility and the consequences of human choices. The exhibition programme reflects on present challenges through international contemporary art exhibitions and interdisciplinary projects, developed in partnership with scientific institutions, cultural organisations, and research bodies.

Castel Belasi realizes a range of exhibitions that explore ecological, scientific, and social topics, often produced in collaboration with the MUSE – Science Museum and other partners:

Castel Belasi maintains a long‑term partnership with MUSE – Science Museum of Trento and the Municipality of Campodenno for joint projects that bridge contemporary art and scientific research on sustainability and ecological issues.

The 'Anthropocene collection' is a contemporary art collection dedicated to artistic engagement with the environmental and social transformations of the current geological epoch. Founded by Stefano Cagol in collaboration with MUSE and supported by the Piano per l'Arte Contemporanea (PAC), the collection originates largely from works first presented in the 2023 exhibition Come Pioggia and was developed through the We Are the Flood art platform. It was first presented at MUSE on 30 November 2024 and displayed until 19 January 2025, featuring diverse media including video, photography, and site‑specific works. The collection is intended to grow with future acquisitions and projects, and may be shown in other institutional settings beyond MUSE.

Since 2023, the artistic direction of Castel Belasi has been led by Stefano Cagol, an artist and curator engaged in contemporary art practices that intertwine ecological thought, political ecology, and interdisciplinary discourse between art and science.

Castel Belasi is open to the public from June to October, with regular opening hours. Visitors benefit from barrier‑free access and facilities including an elevator, and reduced or free admission options for certain groups, in line with its mission to engage broad audiences in ecological reflection and cultural participation.

- Ethical message: The castle's Renaissance frescoes, including the Judgement of Paris, are interpreted as reminders of the consequences of human choices, a central theme of the art centre.

- Dialogue across eras: Castel Belasi combines its medieval structure and frescoes with contemporary art installations, establishing a connection between historical lessons and present and future environmental challenges.

The institution's mission is to foster dialogue between contemporary art and ecological issues, including environmental change, sustainability, and political ecology, linking the specific and the global. The curatorial project draws inspiration from the manor's historic frescoes, addressing themes of responsibility and the consequences of human choices. The exhibition programme reflects on present challenges through international contemporary art exhibitions and interdisciplinary projects, developed in partnership with scientific institutions, cultural organisations, and research bodies.

Castel Belasi realizes a range of exhibitions that explore ecological, scientific, and social topics, often produced in collaboration with the MUSE – Science Museum and other partners:

Castel Belasi maintains a long‑term partnership with MUSE – Science Museum of Trento and the Municipality of Campodenno for joint projects that bridge contemporary art and scientific research on sustainability and ecological issues.

The 'Anthropocene collection' is a contemporary art collection dedicated to artistic engagement with the environmental and social transformations of the current geological epoch. Founded by Stefano Cagol in collaboration with MUSE and supported by the Piano per l'Arte Contemporanea (PAC), the collection originates largely from works first presented in the 2023 exhibition Come Pioggia and was developed through the We Are the Flood art platform. It was first presented at MUSE on 30 November 2024 and displayed until 19 January 2025, featuring diverse media including video, photography, and site‑specific works. The collection is intended to grow with future acquisitions and projects, and may be shown in other institutional settings beyond MUSE.

Since 2023, the artistic direction of Castel Belasi has been led by Stefano Cagol, an artist and curator engaged in contemporary art practices that intertwine ecological thought, political ecology, and interdisciplinary discourse between art and science.

Castel Belasi is open to the public from June to October, with regular opening hours. Visitors benefit from barrier‑free access and facilities including an elevator, and reduced or free admission options for certain groups, in line with its mission to engage broad audiences in ecological reflection and cultural participation.

For a long time, based on a theory proposed by the historian Carl Ausserer, it was believed that the castle already existed in the 12th century and was held by an ancient Belasi family, vassals of the Counts of Appiano. According to this interpretation, an Adelpreto de Bellago, mentioned in a document dated 1189, was considered a member of this family. Following the extinction of the Belasi lineage in 1291, the castle was thought to have been enfeoffed to Ulrich of Ragogna.