Land Art Works at Buffaure
How many forms can wood take? Find it out on an easy route where you can meet a majestic eagle, a pack of wolves and the imposing “Bregostana”, but also funny thrones and really curious benches. The Buffaure area boasts numerous wooden works of art created by the artist Francesco Avancini, a Trentino artist who has been active for over twenty years with countless spectacular creations under his belt, and by Marco Nones, another artist who lives and works in Val di Fiemme, a performer and exponent of environmental art.
As soon as you reach the Buffaure plain you will see how the incredible works in wood and natural materials come to life in front of the most beautiful views of the Dolomites. The first you will encounter, after getting out of the gondola, will be the guardians of the Buffaure: a pack of five giant wolves that observe the basin from the side of the mountain. Continuing on, you can take the lift that will take you to an altitude of 2,400 metres, to an incredible panoramic viewpoint. Just below the arrival you will find the butterfly-shaped bench with a view of Sassolungo, Sassopiatto and the Sella Group. Following the panoramic ridges towards Sella Brunech, you can instead try all the unlikely seats and majestic thrones that compose “The Seated Path,” and then return along the same route.
Descending on foot for half an hour, to Baita Cuz Rifugio, you will find the giant eagle, whose wings were made with 220 larch boards. Once back in the basin, a bench with dragonfly wings awaits you, another in the shape of a dragon and the legendary “Bregostana“: fearsome, huge and made with the recovered wood of the Vaia storm. About ten minutes downhill, the thrones of King Laurin allow you to admire the villages of Vigo and Pozza from above. And remember before taking the gondola back, stop by the top station to enjoy the view from the giant deckchairs!
Last but not least, the Buffy’s Lair, the largest wooden labyrinth in the Dolomites, awaits you on the Buffaure plain!
THE PACK OF WOLVES
After the various works created during 2021– including the Bregostana and the giant thrones, the maxi deckchairs and the artistic benches inspired by animals –the artist Francesco Franz Avancini also gave shape to a pack of wolves, positioned on the ridge above the Buffaure basin.
They are five very imposing specimens – six metres long by almost two metres high – covered in a weave of branches recovered from the soil of the local woods: a mixture of larch, fir and other local plants.
“For each wolf,” explains Avancini, “my collaborators Igor and Simone and I used three tractors of wood, with which we lined, weave by weave, the previously made iron structure. It took about six days per subject”.
THE SEATED PATH
Taking the lifts up to the exceptional panoramic viewpoint of Col de Valvacin (2,354 meters), you reach the start of the trail that develops along the ridge, offering 360-degree views of the most beautiful Dolomite peaks in the Fassa Valley. Along the panoramic ridges, enhancing the already extraordinary panorama, there are the original works of art by artist Marco Nones.
Using recycled wood from ancient huts of the area, Marco Nones has created unlikely seats, which spark cheerfulness in visitors and enrich the surrounding natural environment.
There are more than ten thrones and benches to try, both along the trail and at Sella Brunech, the final destination of the route: from the bench with the climbing wall to the bench for a checkered tan – which consists of a wooden chessboard and a throne – from the Milky Way listening station to the uncomfortable thrones.. But also the napping throne, the VIP area with the chaise longue, the cardinals’ throne and other fun seats.
After admiring and trying out the last few seats at Sella Brunech, you can return along the same route you came from or take the Ciampac lifts down to Alba di Canazei.
THE GIANT EAGLE
Using carved larch planks, artist Francesco Avancini created a giant wooden eagle overlooking the Dolomites.
The result? A bird of prey with a wingspan of 12 metres by two and a half metres in height. The sculpture, whose feathered wings took about 220 boards, is placed next to the Baita Cuz refuge in a strategic position.
From every angle, in fact, it lends itself to evocative and panoramic shots. From below it is silhouetted against the blue sky, while rotating around it one can immortalise the view of Catinaccio or Catena del Monzoni. The viewer, positioning himself by its claws, can also simulate being enraptured by it.
An original project, in the full style of Avancini, who in his long career has always created very special and alternative creations, both with iron and with wood. “It took about twenty days for this work,” he says, “and my days were punctuated by the times of nature, with waking up at dawn, already at altitude, and working until sunset, entertained by the wild animals that often peep out and by many curious tourists. It is a real satisfaction,” he concludes, “to be able to give substance to a very precise vision in my head, which I share with the client through preliminary sketches”.
It is worth mentioning that in the area one can also admire the giant Bregostana and the pack of five wolves, as well as various panoramic seats in the most peculiar shapes: from one in the shape of a dragon, to one with dragonfly wings, to thrones or giant deckchairs.
THE BREGOSTANA
A giant installation, portraying one of the most frequent characters in Ladin legends, observes the passage of skiers from the edge of the slope and of hikers and families in the summer, half hidden between two trees.
Tremble, tremble, the witches are back! We’ re talking about Bregostane, mythical figures from the Ladin legends, generally described as ugly, mean, hairy, and ready to attack anyone unlucky enough to meet them. And in Buffaure there is a giant one.
One of these figures in giant size made her appearance on the slopes of the Buffaure ski area and is ready to watch skiers during the winter season and hikers during the rest of the year.
The huge installation is made of natural recycled materials, including wood from trees knocked-down by the Vaia storm, and is therefore perfectly integrated into the surrounding landscape. The work is signed by the artist Francesco Franz Avancini.
THE BUFFY’S LAIR
It is called “Buffy’s lair ” and it is a large 400 square meter-wooden maze created by Trentino artist Franz Avancini, mostly using salvaged wood and other natural materials.
Buffy’s lair is situated next to the Buffaure Refuge, just a few steps from the arrival of the cable car.
This original project, designed for the little ones, is going to be appealing to everyone who is willing to venture out in search of Buffy’s hole. Along the way there are three hidden nooks with unexpected surprises, including vertical pinball games and optical illusions, like the ones in the astounding upside-down room.
A fun and engaging way to forget about the world “outside” and get back to your childhood.
You will find the biggest surprise in the centre of the maze: a giant sculpture made of intertwined branches and dedicated to Buffy. Did you know that Buffy is a real hare? This cute little hare was born from a litter that had found shelter next to the wolves under construction… It was so cute and lovely that it has become a true mascot for the Buffaure.
