A new art installation in the heart of the Italian Alps is encouraging visitors to “think like a mountain”.
The Frattini Bivouac is located 2,300m above sea level along the Alta Via delle Orobie Bergamasche in Val Seriana, on an exposed and unforgiving ridge defined by jagged peaks and rocky slopes.
Reaching the remote red mountain shelter involves a six-to-eight hour ascent on foot across scree, snowfields and moss.
Upon arrival, visitors can find nine simple foldable beds, a wooden bench, a skylight and two panoramic portholes.
There is no heating, running water or phone line, and solar roof panels power basic lighting and emergency outlets.
Its form resembles the shape of a classic tent “evoking the spirit of early high-mountain exploration”, reads an accompanying press statement.
The red exterior is made from technical fabric designed to resist the unforgiving weather conditions and is lined with cork which offers thermal and acoustic insulation.
It is neither staffed nor ticketed, and anyone can enter.
The Frattini Bivouac will also function as a scientific outpost, collecting real-time data on the surrounding alpine ecosystem.
The installation is a collaboration between GAMeC – Galleria d’Arte Moderna e Contemporanea di Bergamo and the Bergamo section of the Italian Alpine Club, as part of Thinking Like a Mountain – The Orobie Biennial which explores the relationship between art, territories, and both human and “more-than-human” communities.
The shelter replaces one first installed in 1970 which was destroyed by an avalanche just two years later.
It was rebuilt a short distance away in 1975 but, over time, became structurally dangerous.
“This innovative high-altitude bivouac preserves its essential function as a shelter and emergency refuge along the Sentiero delle Orobie, overlooking the extraordinary amphitheatre dominated by the Redorta, Scais and Coca peaks,” said Paolo Valoti, former president of CAI Bergamo (the Italian Alpine Club).
He added that the installation would help “promote education and respect for our mountains”.
The Frattini Bivouac is located at 46°02’27.60”N 9°55’14.90”E and is open throughout the year.
Visitors are advised to check weather and trail conditions with the Italian Alpine Club.
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