There's a kind of art that doesn't hang on walls. It grows in forests, weathers storms, and slowly returns to the earth that shaped it. That's the art of Arte Sella - and for two decades, it's been happening in a quiet valley in Trentino that most of the world still hasn't discovered.

Val di Sella sits an hour from Trento, tucked into the landscape of the UNESCO Dolomites. More than 300 artists, architects, and designers have left their mark here - among them Giuliano Mauri, Quayola, Krištof Kintera, and Kengo Kuma.

Their works don't fight the environment. They enter into a relationship with it, and evolves alongside it.

Searching for a New Way to Connect Humans and Mountains

Montura was born in the same mountains as Arte Sella, shaped by the same question: what does it mean to search for a new way?

For Montura, that question drives everything, from the design of technical garments to the way the brand engages with its territory. For Arte Sella, it led to something genuinely radical: an open-air park where art is not simply placed in nature, but emerges from it and evolves alongside it.

This shared vision has naturally evolved into a partnership spanning decades. Over the years, the collaboration has taken many forms: silk-screened artworks on garments, artistic calendars, and live performances at cultural festivals from Mantova to Trento.

Perhaps the most emblematic expression of this relationship is the Sashiko Jacket, created with Japanese architect Kengo Kuma. Produced in a highly limited edition of just 83 pieces for Europe and 83 for Asia, the jacket drew inspiration from the symbolic significance of the numbers 8 and 3 in Japanese and Eastern culture.

Launched together with celebrated cellist Mario Brunello, the project extended beyond design, supporting solidarity initiatives in Mongolia and Japan. More than a garment, the Sashiko Jacket became a tangible expression of the values that unite Montura and Arte Sella: creativity, cultural exchange, and a deep connection between people, nature, and place.

A Partnership Shaped by Shared Values

For almost twenty years, Montura and Arte Sella have shared a common vision. What began as an informal connection in the early 2000s has evolved into one of the most authentic partnerships in the Italian outdoor world, rooted not in brand visibility but in a genuine commitment to cultural creation and exchange.

"We are very small, and support from commercial partners is always welcome. In fact, it is essential for allowing Arte Sella to survive," says Giacomo Bianchi, President of Arte Sella. "With Montura, the story is a bit different: it is deeper, more complex, and more layered."

Over the years, the relationship has been strengthened through a series of shared cultural initiatives and festival collaborations, bringing Montura and Arte Sella together on stages such as the Trento Film Festival and the Festivaletteratura in Mantova.

These experiences have helped transform a simple partnership into a long-standing dialogue between art, nature, and outdoor culture.

"This partnership has allowed us to truly become who we are," says Giacomo Bianchi. "An organisation that creates culture, produces works of art, and fosters reflection on the relationship between humans and nature."

The Montura trail

The best way to understand Arte Sella is to experience it on foot.

The Sentiero Montura links the park's two main areas, Villa Strobele and Malga Costa, along a 3.5-kilometre route through the Val di Sella. Along the way, visitors encounter a series of designer rest areas created by figures including Alberto Meda and Aldo Cibic, developed under the coordination of the Politecnico di Milano.

At Malga Costa, the trail joins the Sentiero della Pace, which follows sections of the former Austro-Italian frontier from the First World War, a reminder that these mountains hold not only natural beauty, but layers of history and memory.

"This partnership has allowed us to truly become who we are," says Giacomo Bianchi. "An organisation that creates culture, produces works of art, and encourages reflection on the relationship between people and nature."

Arte Sella is open year-round.

Some places are worth going out of your way for.