Enrico Menegatti Passes Away
Enrico Menegatti, the artist known for his animal sculptures crafted from wood left by the sea on the beaches of the Ferrara coast and elsewhere, died in the night between Monday, October 13, and Tuesday, October 14, 2026, at the age of 71. Doctors transferred him to the hospital in Cona for surgery, but it was not possible to save his life. Born in Codigoro, Menegatti was married to Sabina Alice Zanardi of the town. Following an arrest cardiaco, he passed away after being hospitalized when he felt chest pains and reported feeling unwell last Friday. He leaves behind his brother Andrea, his sister Anna, all his relatives, and an entire community shocked by his sudden passing, having shared a life with his wife for 33 years in addition to an 8-year engagement.
The Journey of the Sculptor
Menegatti was an ex-diver who had begun installing his sculptures “in secret” during the weekends, in his free time. In a short time, those animals that seemed to have escaped from a medieval bestiary became a tourist attraction. His name and face were soon known first throughout the surrounding area, and later well outside the province. Over his career, Menegatti earned several awards. He was the winner of the Arte Mondadori prize in 2000. In 2016, he obtained the special Riva1920 recognition of the Reuse – Nutrition for Planet award at the Festa del Legno in Cantù, a prize dedicated to works of art created with recycled or recovered materials. He collaborated with several works at the Guido Monaco Park of the Pomposa Abbey. His works were also reviewed by National Geographic. He was also a painter and created a wonderful trail of animals born from the sea that drew curious visitors, alongside projects such as the 2023 “San Giorgio e il Drago” sculpture for the “Bologna Montana Art Trail” and pieces along the Via degli Dei in the Apennines. His work was also featured just a few weeks ago on Rai Uno’s Green Line, alongside coverage in newspapers and other media. Tourists frequently hunt for his works across the Ferrara lidos and pinewoods, from wild horses to calm lions, including a human-shaped sculpture playing beach paddle tennis with the inscription Dreaming costs nothing
carved beneath it.
Community Tributes and Funeral Arrangements
Friends remembered him as The most tranquil and positive person in the world.
Mayor Zanardi shared a tribute on social media following his death.
The most excruciating pain one can feel has broken my heart,
Zanardi wrote. Spack, Who Who
… continue to sculpt the infinite. Here, amidst the tears and the void of your absence, we will continue to love you. Forever.
Paolo Calvano, a regional councilor for the Democratic Party, offered condolences, noting that the community lost an artist who, through his creativity and sensitivity, knew how to enhance and tell the story of the Delta, transforming wood returned by the sea into works capable of moving and arousing admiration.
The municipal administration stated: With Enrico Menegatti we lose an appreciated artist, an authentic interpreter of the deep bond between man and nature.
The funeral service will be held Saturday morning at 10:00 a.m. in the parish church of Pontelangorino, followed by the transport of the casket to the cremation garden in Copparo.
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