Art and Activism: Connecting Land Conservation and Painting

The Museo Novecento has opened its doors to a different kind of art this summer: one that blends visual expression with environmental advocacy. American artist and conservationist Haley Mellin returns to Florence, where she once studied art, to present her first solo museum exhibition: Siamo Natura (We Are Nature), on view from June 24 through October 29.

Curated by Sergio Risaliti and Stefania Rispoli, the exhibition invites visitors to experience not just Mellin’s landscapes but also to engage with her global mission to protect natural spaces through her nonprofit, Art into Acres.

The rooms are filled with the aroma of fresh paint. White walls hold small, picturesque works that transport visitors to the forests they portray. Pops of green and stem-shaped drawings encourage viewers to sit, observe, and rethink land conservation. Spread across four rooms, the exhibition creates a layered sensory journey. The first three spaces are bright with big white walls featuring small-scale paintings, charcoal works on canvas, and pages from Mellin’ssketchbooks. Each piece reflects her fieldwork-based practice art created while immersed in nature, from Australia to the rainforests of Peru.

One painting even carries a story of nature’s unpredictability: during an outdoor session in Guatemala, a sudden rainstorm blurred Mellin’s brushstrokes. “Nature finished the painting,” she says in a video playing onsite. This balance between control and chance runs throughout the exhibition. On the surrounding walls, Mellin’s reflections on land conservation invite visitors to consider other forms of care. One text reads: “Conservation, when done well, is invisible. There is no trace of your presence: life continues to flow as it has for millennia.” That sense of subtlety is echoed in the artworks themselves. “At first glance, the works seem like simple images,” said Rebecca, a 26-year-old museum staff member from Florence. “But when you get close, you see layers of texture and color, almost like they’re in 3D.”

The final room shifts tone, transporting guests from a gallery to a jungle-like environment. Sounds of insects and birds fill the air, and images of dense leaves cover the walls. Two screens loop videos: one of Mellin sharing her journey and inspirations, and another showcasing the global impact of Art into Acres. The nonprofit has supported the protection of more than 30 million acres of land across national parks in the United States and Indigenous-managed territories across South America and Africa. Benches and headphones await, inviting attendees to pause and listen to the video’s message. Right next to it, lists of supported sites are on the gallery walls, giving visitors a clear picture of the international organization’s reach. Sustainability was also central to the exhibition’s production. The museum team calculated the carbon footprint, used reusable shipping crates, planted trees for each artwork frame built, and printed all materials on eco-certified paper.

Beyond the exhibition rooms, Siamo Natura extends into Florence’s public spaces. The neighboring Giardino delle Leopoldine was recently regenerated into a green courtyard including 300 native Tuscan species. The garden has already hosted events with live music and book readings, reclaiming the space for gathering, reflection, and dialogue about art and nature.

As part of the exhibition’s public programming, visitors can join themed activities focused on observation and nature-based creativity every Sunday. Upcoming events include Natural Gazes, a botanical sketching session, and Guardians of the Green, a session for children aged 6 to 11, which encourages younger visitors to “adopt” a plant and craft natural art materials such as bark, leaves, and twigs into imaginative creations.

Though based in the United States, Mellin’s ties to Florence go back to her early artistic training u nder the Rosenclaire duo, making this exhibition both a professional milestone and a personal return. Now, she returns with a project that combines painting and activism, inviting viewers to pause, observe, and consider the invisible but urgent work of conservation.

This article was produced as part of a journalism collaboration with Georgetown University’s study abroad program in Florence.