Enhancing the territory, identity, and biodiversity—this is the message conveyed by the
installation “The Stone of Taste”, a work by architect Silvana Inguscio, created in collaboration with
Bianco Cave. The installation will be on display inside the Palazzo Marchesale of Melpignano, inaugurated on November 9 and open to visitors until January 6, 2025.

This botanical table is not just a tribute to the ancient olive culture—an undisputed symbol of
Salento and Puglia—but also a call to memory and the cyclical nature of life.

Here, stone, rather than wood, takes center stage: solid and enduring, like the land from
which it draws inspiration. This installation weaves together food, seasonality, and sharing,
celebrating the sacredness of labor and the deep connection with the land of Puglia.

The piece consists of a botanical table, a slab of calcarenite engraved with oil drop and olive leaf
shapes, which transform into small containers for seasonal foods such as hanging tomatoes,
oranges, frise, bread, legumes, and oil in ampoules.

Through the subtraction of material, the shapes define the containers, sculpted from stone
using CNC (computer numerical control) machinery. Just as in traditional rural culture, the table itself becomes a vessel for the earth’s products—ashared container for food.