Renowned art curator Vicente Todolí (born in Palmera, 1958) has found his personal haven in a vast citrus garden in his hometown. More than just a garden, he considers it a living museum—a space created “by and for himself” that offers a sensory journey across Asia, Europe, Oceania, and the Americas through 500 varieties of citrus fruits. These plants are not only cultivated and protected but also serve as his personal legacy. “Agriculture teaches you the meaning of time,” says Todolí. “Art doesn’t. It moves too fast.”
This personal paradise, known as the Todolí Citrus Foundation, spans 40,000 square meters and combines research, cultivation, and preservation of citrus plants. It’s a living museum designed to tell a story—not just of the citrus varieties along Spain’s Mediterranean coast, many of which are forgotten, but of citrus traditions from around the world.
Todolí details this passion project in his book I Wanted to Create a Garden (and Watch It Grow), published by Espasa. Through it, he invites readers into his botanical museum and offers a glimpse into the intricate ties between his professional life in the art world and his deep-rooted love for citrus cultivation.
Surrounded by greens, yellows, oranges, the white blossoms of the azahar, and the purples of lemon tree sprouts, Todolí found his place in the world. The garden is a deeply personal connection to his hometown of Palmera and a tribute to five generations of his family’s expertise in citrus farming.
“This gives me perspective on the art world,” Todolí shared during a press visit to the site. “It’s about stepping back and seeing things differently. With agriculture, you truly understand time. In art, one exhibition quickly replaces the next. But in agriculture, if you plant two trees, one may thrive while the other doesn’t. You need patience—to wait and to enjoy the gradual changes day by day.”
Though he grew up surrounded by farmland, Todolí’s hands-on journey into citrus didn’t begin until the early 2000s. During a visit to a local market on the island of Ischia in Italy, he was fascinated by a citron and bought a young plant to eventually grow in his own garden.
Preserving Heritage and Protecting the Landscape
Following his father’s advice and driven by a desire to protect the rich citrus-growing tradition of Valencia, Todolí purchased a 3,000-square-meter orchard from neighbors. Over time, he expanded the land by acquiring more than 20 adjoining plots, growing the foundation’s space to 45,000 square meters.
His motivation wasn’t just agricultural. Todolí wanted to stop an urban development project from encroaching on this cherished landscape. Today, the foundation is officially recognized for its environmental protection role. “You can’t be a slave to the past,” he admitted, “but if the landscape of my childhood had disappeared, it would have been tragic—a part of me would have been lost.”
That personal mission led Todolí to shift focus from gallery walls to fertile ground. He envisioned a museum where he could act as the sole curator, free to make every decision. “This is a museum I made for myself. The others were for someone else,” he said. “Here, I have complete freedom. It’s like walking through the permanent collection of a museum, only there’s no need to rotate the exhibits—they change on their own.”
A Creative Hub for Chefs and Scientists
The garden also includes a research center housed in what was once a simple tool shed. Today, it attracts world-class chefs and perfumers who view the space as a laboratory for innovation. Here, they experiment with citrus in ways that push creative boundaries. The center also collaborates with the Valencian Institute of Agricultural Research (IVIA) on projects exploring citrus in medicine.
Even while Todolí continues his work in the art world—serving as Artistic Director of the Pirelli HangarBicocca museum in Milan—his heart remains in Palmera. “My trees are like my children,” he says, underscoring the profound connection he feels to this unique place.
In combining his passion for agriculture with his expertise in curation, Vicente Todolí has cultivated not just a garden, but a living testament to time, tradition, and creativity.
