Bruno Murialdo – The Sense of Beauty
Photographer Bruno Murialdo has spent his career capturing stories through the lens, working with national and international publications across the world. From Latin America to Russia, from the U.S. to Europe, his journey eventually led him to his adopted home the Langhe. Here, he has documented not just the changing landscape but also the people and projects that have shaped its identity. Among them, Michele Chiarlo – a long-standing collaboration that began with the earliest days of La Court.
Bruno, let’s start at the beginning. How did you first meet Michele Chiarlo?
You know, I don’t even remember the exact moment. I think it all started with a request for some photos – he needed images for wine labels. I told him straight away that still life wasn’t really my style, but we decided to meet anyway.
I went to Calamandrana, and we talked. He told me about his vision, we tasted some wines, and he took me to see the vineyards. At some point, another idea came up – La Court. It was a stunning hill, three cypress trees at the top, an incredible landscape… but a little forgotten. Michele already had something in mind, a project that went beyond the vineyard. He wanted to make it a special place. And then we had this thought: we need to see it from above.
Drones didn’t exist back then, so we rented a helicopter. I think we took off from Boglietto. From up there, La Court revealed itself – the curves of the vines, the contrasts of color, the perfect placement of the hill. We took a series of shots, and those images became the foundation of what would later become Art Park La Court.
After that flight, the project took shape. Did you continue following its development?
Yes, over time, La Court came to life. We started organizing photography exhibitions – the very first one was mine, a black-and-white series capturing the vineyard through the seasons. Then the artists arrived. One of the first was Emanuele Luzzati. I still remember watching him walk through the park, imagining his installations. I asked him to sit on a swing for a photo – one of my favorite shots to this day.
In the ‘90s and early 2000s, we even hosted Torino Fotografia, a top-tier international event. With Luisella D’Alessandro, we curated exhibitions in the farmhouses, showcased artwork from wine labels, and held cultural gatherings. Everything was connected; everything had a purpose.
Michele had an extraordinary vision – long before anyone in the Langhe was talking about blending wine and art. He understood early on that culture had to be part of the wine experience. It wasn’t just about aesthetics; it was about deepening the relationship between people and the land.
If you had to choose one image that defines La Court, what would it be?
The first aerial shots, no doubt. And then, one that’s especially close to my heart – a group photo of the winery’s workers, taken right there, with the three cypress trees in the background. The employees, the vineyard hands… It was an image of community, of a winery telling its story through its people.
And then there’s the harvest. I photographed one of the first Barbera harvests at La Court, after the art installations were complete. Michele’s vision was coming to life – wine, art, landscape. All connected, all part of the same story.
You’ve witnessed the generational transition at the winery. How do you see Alberto and Stefano carrying on their father’s legacy?
The winery has grown in so many ways. But Alberto and Stefano haven’t just inherited a business – they’ve inherited a philosophy. They’ve always been mindful of the landscape, and you can see it in their choices, in how they’ve integrated their work into the surroundings. Palás Cerequio is a perfect example – once an abandoned hamlet, today one of the most sought-after wine destinations in the world.
And the connection to art has never faded. Cannubi Path is proof of that – it carries forward the same vision that began with La Court, now with the creative touch of Ugo Nespolo. That artistic thread runs through the entire history of the winery, and it keeps expanding.
Michele had an extraordinary sensitivity toward both art and the land. How did that shape the identity of the winery?
Michele had a deep sense of beauty. Walking through the vineyards with him, he didn’t just talk about harvests or yields. He saw the light, the shapes of the land, the way the vines curved along the hills. He understood that wine wasn’t just a product – it was a way to tell the story of a place, to give it value.
He wasn’t a theorist or an art critic, but he recognized balance, harmony, and quality in an instant. And you could feel it in his wines. He was also one of the few in Monferrato who saw art as an essential part of his work. And that legacy is still so clear today – the winery keeps growing, investing in culture, and strengthening the connection between landscape and beauty that Michele always nurtured.
What remains of his vision today?
A great deal. And not just in the winery. La Court changed the way we think about the relationship between wine, art, and landscape. Michele set an example – preserving and elevating the land isn’t just an economic choice, it’s a cultural one.
If more producers had followed his lead, we’d have an even richer, more carefully preserved landscape today. Wine is culture. And Michele understood that long before anyone else.