Mario Andreoli

Andreoli, who spent his career working for the railroad, and who has now retired, has turned a 4000 square meter (just under one acre) hill that was dedicated to vineyards into a site for his seasonal installation of lights. Working alone, he creatively assembled recycled materials including windows, old signs, cans, iron rebar, and more, and beginning in 1961 he constructed a huge nativity scene made up of nearly 300 figures. These included the standard shepherds, sheep, angels, and castles, but also dolphins and other beings not typically associated with the Christmas story.

With eight miles of cables and thousands of bulbs, at dusk Andreoli lights the figures, providing an incredible free show to its many visitors. He works on his creation all year long, beginning to assemble the characters in November, and then lighting the nativity scene from December 8 through the end of January. Following the end of the season, he disassembles the entire scene, repairing the figures, if necessary, in his small workshop on the hill. He also reuses and flexibly modifies some of the same figures to create an electric installation of the Stations of the Cross, which he lights at Easter.

The seasonal installations are in good condition and accessible by the public without charge.

~Gabriele Mina

www.costruttoridibabele.net



Manarola, Liguria it

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