A new sculpture was unveiled in 2022 on the feast of St. Micheal (also known as Michaelmas) on 29th September in the town of Alba. The former Piazza Savona is now named after Michele Ferrero (1925 – 2015), the founder of the world-famous confectionery company.
Alba is the name of the sculpture by Valerio Berruti. It outlines a young girl on top of a circular base, which is a fountain. It is a monumental yet gracious contemporary art work financed by the Ferrero family. Made of stainless steel, around 41 ft. tall, it is a remarkable dimension for a public sculpture, which is neither a religious nor a military topic.
The project
Valerio Berruti was born and lives in Alba, his works always represent children. He designed an installation for the Light Festival of Turin (Luci d’artista) and some of his art works are displayed in the Contemporary Art Museum of Rivoli.
Berruti said about the sculpture: Alba is not the portrait of any particular young girl. She looks at us shyly. For foreign readers, in Italian, a girl or woman called Alba means “sunrise”. Childhood is the “the sunrise of life”, when everything has yet to come. So, this installation contains a message of light and hope that arrived just after the difficult pandemic period.
The monument resembles a drawing in the sky. Looking through its contours towards the historic center one can see the medieval towers, whereas the opposite side frames the hills covered by vineyards.
Alba and the Ferrero family
The dedication of the monument to Michele Ferrero, who is also represented like a child, can be found on a plaque on the square.
This sculpture is not only an additional attraction for visitors, but above all a beautiful gift of the Ferrero family to the town of Alba, which clearly shows the affection between the company and the local population.
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