“La Palomba,” which means “The Dove” in English, is located just outside Matera, a popular tourist spot in Italy famous for its ancient town. Though the sculptures are right next to a main road, they’re easy to miss unless you know to look for them. The artwork is obscured from view, tucked out of sight in a defunct tuff quarry.
Cuts and slashes mar the quarry’s massive walls like scars leftover from previous stone extractions; a visual reminder of the environment’s past use. After it became abandoned, trees and bushes began creeping back into the space as nature tried to strengthen its claim on the spot.
