June 05, 2010 - July 31, 2010
This exhibition ran from 5 June till 31 July 2010 in Stellenbosch, South Africa.
Arnaldo Pomodoro and Edoardo Villa are two of Italy and South Africa's most renowned living sculptors. The Nirox Foundation in association with the Embassy of Italy and SMAC Art Gallery is proud to present Arnaldo Pomodoro and Edoardo Villa: A Sculptural Dialogue an exhibition of select major sculptures by these artists at The Nirox Sculpture Park, The Cradle of Humankind, Magaliesberg in Gauteng. This is the first time that Pomodoro has exhibited in South Africa and it is a rare opportunity for South Africans and visitors to view these masterpieces in a unique environment.
The exhibition was opened on Saturday 5 June 2010 by H.E. The Ambassador of Italy Elio Menzione.
Both Arnaldo pomodoro and Edoardo Villa rose to prominence in the 1960s and their art has come to represent an era of Modernist and Abstract Sculpture, symbolic of rapid Post-War industrialization. Imposing steel and bronze sculptures have (unintentionally) become monuments to capitalism and industry. Milan and Johannesburg, the homes of these artists are the financial and industrial centres of their respective countries. Both cities were transformed in the 1960s and 1970s during a period of unprecedented innovation, growth and economic advancement. The sculptures of Arnaldo Pomodoro can be seen all over Milan in important public spaces, the same applies to Villa and Johannesburg.