Palazzo Collicola exhibitions

Palazzo Collicola, Spoleto’s Gallery of Modern Art, hosts Disegni. Created by Giuseppe Penone and curated by Marco Tonelli, the exhibition explores the artistic approach of Penone, not only with regards to the symbolism of the tree, which the artist believes is «the first and simplest idea of vitality, culture, sculpture», but also his writing, drawing as a means of expression and sculpture as a mirror of the self. Drawing, the original form of artistic creation, is the exhibition’s starting point for the exhibition: works on paper enriched with notes and texts, accompanied by a series of black and white photographs of woods, trees and vegetation, taken by the artist himself as if they were sketches. The exhibition — the first dedicated exclusively to drawings realised by Penone in Italy — takes inspiration from works by Leoncillo (1915-1968): about forty sculptures and drawings housed at Palazzo Collicola. The artist wrote in his text Piccolo diario: «Why do I make trees? Because I am myself a tree. A tree is itself an extraordinary sculpture, a living entity which contains the memory of its own structure and form.» One of the major exponents of Arte Povera, Penone’s works, which express the revelatory power of nature, are found in the world’s most famous museums and in prestigious collections.

On the Piano Nobile, the large Great Room (Salone d’Onore) will host the exhibition Work in progress, old paintings and drawings, in particular sketches and preparatory studies from the collection of the Fondazione Marignoli di Montecorona of Spoleto. It will be presented alongside modern and contemporary art sketches and projects, housed in the Galleria d’Arte Moderna di Palazzo Collicola. It is curated by Michele Drascek, Duccio K. Marignoli, and Marco Tonelli.

On the Ground Floor, generally used for temporary exhibitions, will take place the solo show of Stefano Di Stasio: Astanze, big format paintings from the collection of the renowned Galleria dell’Attico of Roma, curated by Fabio Sargentini and Marco Tonelli, and which is going to take most of the floor with a theatre piece and a lot of atmosphere.

Also on the Piano Nobile, within the museum spaces – and in an outside garden next to the Palazzo Collicola – will be featured site specific sculptures by Josè Angelino Resistenze, curated by Davide Silvioli in cooperation with Alessandra Bonomo.