Sculpture in the city - Spoleto 1962
In 1962 houses, terraces, squares, medieval arches, alleys and slopes of the Albornoz Fortress of Spoleto enriched their beauty thanks to the presence of 104 sculptural works made by 53 among the most famous artists of the 20th century.
In 1962 houses, terraces, squares, medieval arches, alleys and slopes of the Albornoz Fortress of Spoleto enriched their beauty thanks to the presence of 104 sculptural works made by 53 among the most famous artists of the 20th century. The exhibition “Sculpture in the city”, conceived and curated by Giovanni Carandente for the 5th Festival of the Two Worlds, turned Spoleto in an open-air museum and attracted much attention from the international press, becoming one of the main historical festivals of international sculpture in the last century.
For the first time ancient architecture and modern sculptures were placed together where they could share the spaces where everyday life takes place. The artists with works installed around town include: Arp, Colla, Fontana, Lorenzetti, Manzù, Marini, Moore and David Smith, 20 of whose artworks were exhibited at the Roman Theatre (several of these ones can be admired today in a wing of the Washington National Gallery, in a hall devoted to the artist, whose structure is inspired by the Spoleto Arena, and the exhibition of 1962 is documented on its walls). In 2012, 50 years after the big exhibition of 1962, the District of Spoleto celebrated the contemporary sculpture with the exhibition “+50: Sculpture in the city in memory (1962) and present (2012)”: the artworks of about 50 Italian artists were exhibited in the Collicola Visual Arts Palace and at different locations in the town. Among them there were Giovanni Albanese, Robert Gligorov, Michelangelo Galliani, Michele Ciribifera, Alex Pinna, Andrea Pinchi, Mario Consiglio, Peppe Perone, Mario Cuppone, Franco Menicagli, Alessandra Pierelli, Gehard Demetz and Raul Gabriel. Today the following sculptures remain: Alexander Calder – Teodelapio Lynn Chadwick – Stranger III Pietro Consagra – Colloquio Spoletino (Interview in Spoleto) Nino Franchina – Spoleto 1962 Beverly Pepper – Il dono di Icaro (The gift of Icarus) Arnaldo Pomodoro – Colonna del Viaggiatore (Column of the Traveller)