In 1999 Artco acquired a historical, industrial building in the town of Seravezza. Cynthia Sah and Nicolas Bertoux went to work cleaning the mud that had claimed residence for years after a massive flood. Sludging through the mud they slowly brought this historical space back to life. They filled it with their infectious artistic energy, and creativity. Their vision rescued the building that had at one time belonged to the Medici family.
In the last 25 years they have breathed new life into the town, into the space and into the Tuscan artist community. Their accomplishments have enabled them to begin Arkad Foundation, a place where they have been able to establish an intercultural center to foster artistic projects, organize exhibitions and events, transmit technical skills, encourage the meeting of artistic experiences in the broad field of contemporary art, and create links with the main local and international artistic events.
There is no way to visit Artco without walking away inspired, re-energized and feeling blessed. It is a place where artists come to work, to learn, to grow, to be inspired and to commune. Here Cynthia and Nicolas create monumental sculptures, fountains or low reliefs which are installed in public or private spaces around the world.
Cynthia and Nicolas are forces to be reckoned with. They ooze creativity and energy and can’t help but affect everyone around them. They are graceful, giving and encouraging. They see beauty and possibility in things that most of us can not. Watching them work is like being transformed into another world. All that exists is their vision and their hands strongly manipulating the hard surfaces they have chosen as their craft. Time ceases and in the dust beauty emerges.
Born in 1952 in Hong Kong, Cynthia grew up in Japan and Taiwan. After receiving her Master’s degree in the U.S., she has chosen to work and live in Italy since 1979. Her sculptures reflect the Chinese philosophy of essential equilibrium, often translated into marble or bronze, which takes shape with lightness and fluidity in space, inviting the public to participate with their senses. Her artworks are in private and public collections such as Taipei Fine Art Museum, Farum International Sculpture Park in Denmark, AzuchiCho Cultural Center in Japan, hotels and private museums.
Nicolas, born in 1952 in Paris, France, began his career as an interior architect and is now totally dedicated to sculpture. His main interest is to integrate artwork into the environment by relating to a given space, local culture, history and nature. His monumental works can be found in public and private places such a the European Parliament of Strasbourg, in the Towns of Paris, Bordeaux or Ronchamp in France, and in Taiwan at the Institute of Transportation in Taipei, in the Kaohsiung Museum of Fine Arts. His sculptures are also installed in Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu, Changsha in China, in Korea, and in Mexico. Nicolas continues to experiment with various materials, creates installations and design objects in metal, in marble or in cardboard.
Their creative energy seems to know no bounds as they continue to create and inspire- settled under the legendary Monte Altissimo marble quarries where Michelangelo extracted his marble.
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