Alps and Silvia De Bastiani's watercolours bring the Alps to the city

Even beauty responds to the call of the Olympics. On the occasion of the Milan 2026 Olympic and Paralympic Games, in fact, Alps Cortina is promoting and collaborating on the exhibition 'Water and Peaks. An Olympic Journey Through the Alps', from 12 February to 6 April at the Fabbrica del Vapore in Milan, an exhibition specially conceived to reflect on the environment hosting the Winter Games.

Created by artist Silvia De Bastiani 30 large-format watercolours (up to 2.3 x 4.5 metres) immerse us in a magnificent Alpine landscape, imposing and at the same time fragile, today more than ever at the centre of climatic and environmental transformations. The exhibition is enriched by a high-impact sensory element: the diffusion in the environment of the Alps Cortina fragrance, inspired by the mountains and developed with VIVASCENTZ® technology, capable of stimulating the areas of the brain linked to emotions and memories, transforming the visit into a multi-sensory journey that intensifies involvement and amplifies positive sensations, linking art, places and emotions.

In Silvia De Bastiani's works, the mountain is not just a pictorial subject, but living matter captured with an almost scientific approach. The artist studies with precision the stratified geology of the Alps and Dolomites, the Alpine vegetation and its altitudinal variations, and atmospheric changes and their effects on the perception of the landscape. This documentary precision blends with a poetic sensibilitỳ that transfigures objective data into emotional experience. Through his works, the artist invites us to understand the geological, morphological and environmental complexity of the Alpine territory, to take care of these fragile ecosystems, to develop a more conscious and respectful relationship with the mountain environment.

Rounding off the experience is a creative workshop for the little ones, in which a snow-covered mountain environment will be modelled with natural recycled materials. Through the use of spices and other ingredients of natural origin, natural colours will be obtained, enhancing the pigmenting properties of the foods themselves.

The solo exhibition, curated by Vera Agosti, is produced by Fabbrica del Vapore - Milan City Council and the Federica Galli ETS Foundation, while the exhibition design is by architect Michele Piva.