"Il Giardino delle Erbacce" in mostra a Melpignano

In Grecìa Salentina, where stones tell centuries-old stories and the scents of the earth intertwine with those of memory, an exhibition comes to life that is far more than a display: it is an act of love for what usually escapes the eye.

From August 12 to 20, the frescoed halls on the ground floor of the seventeenth-century Palazzo Marchesale in Melpignano host “The Garden of Weeds”, the photographic project by Rocco Casaluci, a Puglian artist who has been observing and narrating the beauty of the world through his lens for many years.

With a silent and contemplative gaze, Casaluci elevates to protagonists those wild plants we tend to ignore or consider a nuisance. “Weeds,” says the author, “represent an astonishing natural heritage: in Salento alone, there are about 1,300 species, out of over 6,000 found throughout Italy.”

Through an essential and meditative vision, Casaluci explores the relationship between humans and nature. In a black-and-white that strips away any visual noise, his images capture the pure essence of a biodiversity often forgotten. Each shot is an invitation to slowness, a visual caress that draws attention back to forms, textures, fragility, and strength.

The neutral background eliminates the superfluous, allowing the intimacy of Puglia’s herbs to emerge, powerful in their humility. Behind each photograph lies a broader reflection: on the cultural, herbal, symbolic, and environmental value of these plants—silent guardians of ancient knowledge and rural memories. It is an open dialogue between humans and landscape, between art and natural resilience, between what is visible and what lies hidden beneath the surface.

After its success in Bologna, the project now arrives in a place that amplifies its meaning and resonance: Melpignano, a virtuous municipality of Grecìa Salentina that has long cultivated a culture of sustainability, beauty, and local identity.

Here, as part of the “Melpignano Promotes Culture” program initiated by mayor Valentina Avantaggiato, the exhibition becomes part of a fertile ecosystem of ideas and virtuous practices. It is no coincidence that Palazzo Marchesale also hosts the Master’s Program in Sustainable Territorial Gastronomy and Food Policies, created to train those who dream of a future in harmony with the land, biodiversity, and community. The Mercato del Giusto (Fair Market), short supply chains, the promotion of native species—all speak the same language as Casaluci’s “weeds.”

And then there is the historic garden. A place suspended in time, where ancient varieties of fruit, rose gardens, aromatic herbs, and a late 16th-century fountain tell stories of water and stone. All around, a pergola of 160 columns and stone seats shelters the silence. In the palace rooms frescoed with myths, virtues, and bucolic landscapes, photography becomes both ritual and political gesture: restoring dignity to what is marginal, recognizing value in what haste has rendered invisible.

Rocco Casaluci: Born in Corigliano d’Otranto, he has been exploring the relationship between humans and landscape for over fifteen years, with a particular focus on black-and-white, nature, and stage photography. He worked for many years as stage photographer for the Teatro Comunale di Bologna, documenting opera and theatre productions with sensitivity and precision. His experience in performance photography has honed a keen eye for light, detail, and the emotion of the moment. He is also an expert fine art printer, personally overseeing every stage of the printing process to ensure the highest quality and perfect alignment between artistic vision and final result.

"The Garden of Weeds" — Photographic Exhibition by Rocco Casaluci
Palazzo Marchesale, Melpignano (LE)
August 12–20, 2025 | Opening hours: Tue–Fri 6–10 pm, Sat 6–11 pm, Sun 9 am–1 pm / 6–11 pm | Free entry
Info: Rocco Casaluci Photographer, mob. +39 338 1634445 www.casaluci.photo

Info: Palazzo Marchesale, Via Roma, Melpignano, mob. +39 375 6041184 – www.discovermelpignano.it/


Web: www.casaluci.photo