Mutonia. A family that shapes worlds

In the summer of 1990, Mutoid Waste Company, a group of sculptors and performers founded by Joe Rush and Robin Cooke in London’s Shepherd Bush district, took occupation of an abandoned quarry on the outskirts of Santarcangelo di Romagna (Rimini, Emilia Romagna, Italy). Ever since, Mutonia (as they came to refer to their living and working space) has been a community of creatives producing art from waste industrial materials. Mutonia has been recognised by the Italian authorities as an ‘artistic park’ and its residents often welcome visitors from all over Europe, who come to marvel at their creativity and commitment. In Mutonia, waste material becomes the inspiration for a project in which the community pools its creativity to the benefit of the Mutoid family as well as the residents of neighbouring areas, who often organise events to celebrate their creations.

The members of this community feel a strong connection to the historical rural economic and social structure of the people of Santarcangelo, who certainly also knew how to value waste, which they saw as offering an opportunity to improve not only their technical skills but also their quality of life. For this reason, the Ettore Guatelli Museum, located in the same region, approximately 200 km northwest of Mutonia, has always considered the work of this community of artists to be compatible with that of Ettore and of those who have recrafted the artefacts in his collection.