Blacksmith Art Biennial — Tessiinova
The Blacksmith Art Biennial — Tessiinova is a recurring exhibition and craft event dedicated to the art of blacksmithing, held in the Stia area of the Casentino valley in the Province of Arezzo, Tuscany. The event brings together master smiths, artists and designers working in iron and steel to celebrate a craft tradition with deep roots in this part of Tuscany, where the working of metals has been practised since the medieval period alongside the region’s famous wool textile industry. Tessiinova frames the biennial as a dialogue between traditional artisan skills and contemporary creative approaches to forged metalwork.
At a glance
- Type
- Craft and art biennial; blacksmithing exhibition
- Period
- Biennial contemporary event
- Style
- Artisan craft fair; contemporary metalwork art exhibition
- Location
- Stia area, Casentino valley, Province of Arezzo, Tuscany
- Coordinates
- 43.8021° N, 11.7081° E
Overview
The biennial takes place in the Casentino, a valley in the Apennine foothills east of Florence where the upper Arno river rises near the town of Stia. The event positions itself within a landscape shaped by centuries of artisan production: the Casentino was historically home to wool mills — the largest at Stia employed over 500 workers by the nineteenth century — and ironworking traditions that supplied tools and hardware to the farming and forestry communities of the valley. Tessiinova (the name combines the Italian words for weave and new) frames craftsmanship as a living art form in continuous evolution.
History
The Blacksmith Art Biennial emerged from efforts to revitalise and document artisan traditions in the Casentino valley, an area increasingly recognised for its cultural and craft heritage alongside its natural landscape. The biennial format — held every two years — allows sufficient time for participants to develop original commissioned works rather than simply displaying existing production. Over successive editions, the event has attracted smiths from across Italy and abroad, building a network of practitioners who regard iron-forging as both a technical discipline and a medium for artistic expression.
What you see
Exhibitions typically display forged ironwork ranging from architectural elements such as gates, grilles and hardware to sculptural and decorative objects conceived as artworks. Live demonstrations allow visitors to observe smiths working at the forge — hammering, bending and shaping metal at high temperatures using techniques transmitted across centuries. The event often includes workshops, competitions and educational programming aimed at younger generations interested in learning the craft. The surrounding Casentino landscape and its medieval villages provide a compelling backdrop for the celebration of traditional skills.
Cultural significance
The biennial addresses a widespread concern across Italian artisan communities: the survival and renewal of traditional crafts in an era of industrial manufacturing. By combining exhibition, demonstration and education, it aims to ensure that the technical knowledge of blacksmithing — a craft whose practitioners once occupied a central role in every village economy — is transmitted to new generations and enriched by dialogue with contemporary art and design.
Practical information
- Location
- Stia, Pratovecchio Stia, 52015 Arezzo AR, Tuscany
- Frequency
- Biennial (every two years)
- Hours
- Check official website or local tourist information for current edition dates and venues
Getting there
Stia is located in the Casentino valley approximately 40 km east of Florence and 40 km northwest of Arezzo. By car, take the SS70 or SS556 through the Casentino from Arezzo or Florence. Regional bus services (Autolinee Toscane) connect Stia with Arezzo. The nearest railway stations are at Arezzo or Pontassieve, with onward bus connections into the valley.