Soliera dedicates an exhibition to Mauro Staccioli, among the great Italian sculptors of the 20th century

From Oct. 30, 2021 to Jan. 30, 2022, the main floor and courtyard of the Campori Castle in Soliera (Modena, Italy) welcome contemporary sculpture with an exhibition dedicated to one of the leading Italian sculptors of the 20th century: Mauro Staccioli (Volterra, 1937 - Milan 2018). Mauro Staccioli. [re]action, this is the title of the exhibition curated by Lorenzo Respi, promoted by the Municipality of Soliera and the Campori Foundation, under the patronage of the Emilia Romagna Region, is produced by All Around Art in collaboration with the Mauro Staccioli Archive Association of Volterra: in addition to the exhibition set up at the Campori Castle, an installation of the monumental work Portale will be placed in the historic center, which will remain on free loan to the Municipality of Soliera until spring 2024.

Staccioli’s Portale is a monumental triangular arch that with its sharp profile ideally marks and signals the urban context in which it is placed. The environmental sculpture stands in close relationship not only with the physical space but also with the people who inhabit and experience it on a daily basis, to become an integral part of the life of the community.

“My sculptures,” wrote Mauro Staccioli, “are not thought of as objects to beautify the city, as monuments, they do not illustrate or celebrate, they are instruments of provocation or stimulation, of involvement, of critical detection, an occasion for collective public discussion. The contents of my work draw reason from the desire for active participation.”

The title of the exhibition is inspired by the artist’s working method and his understanding of sculpture. Staccioli used to measure space and act on volumes, study the social context and its history, to intervene materially with clear sculptural marks. To this action of the artist always corresponds a reaction of the viewer who is invited, stimulated, and provoked, to interact with the sculpture in a physical and critical way.

“The route begins in the inner courtyard of the Castle,” the curator explains, "where the visitor is greeted by the installation Prismoids. Along the grand staircase leading to the second floor is another large sculpture, Barrier Condition, which leads the visitor to the entrance of the exhibition ’manned’ by the concrete arch Mura delle carceri vecchi. The introductory room is dedicated to the figure of the artist and to the Mauro Staccioli Archive Association, while the two main rooms house the accessible installations, Sculpture 1993 and Untitled, between which people can move freely to ’experience’ the space. The side rooms house historical works made of concrete and industrial materials that evoke the hostility of urban space toward humans in the 1970s, both because of social conflicts and the ecological implications of industrialization. The last room is occupied by a large projection on Staccioli’s monumental works accompanied by spectacular photographs of the public sculpture installations. The exhibition is complemented by clips from films and video clips in which the artist’s works curiously appear. Mauro Staccioli has been one of the leading exponents of international environmental sculpture; he has always combined social and civic engagement with his work as a sculptor, paradoxically transferring the complexity and conflictuality of the contemporary world into his simple forms."

In the exhibition there will also be a room entirely dedicated to children, in which there will be a sketch of the sculpture Portale “on a child’s scale” with images and educational apparatuses dedicated to young children. There will also be guided tours and workshops for children, curated by the Ludoteca il Mulino di Soliera in collaboration with Federica Merighi, and a series of in-person and online side events.

The exhibition, produced with the support of Le Gallerie Shopping Center and REinova, is accompanied by a catalog published by All Around Art dedicated to the works on display and the Portal, from genesis to installation in Soliera. The publication includes texts by Massimo Bignardi, Alberto Fiz and Lorenzo Respi, a rich iconographic apparatus and photographic reportage of the installation.

The opening will be held Saturday, Oct. 30, at 11 a.m. in Via Nenni in Soliera. The exhibition will be open on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Free admission.

Image: Mauro Staccioli, Portal (2014; corten steel, 10.67 x 8.29 x 0.55 meters). Courtesy of the Mauro Staccioli Archive Association.

Soliera dedicates an exhibition to Mauro Staccioli, among the great Italian sculptors of the 20th century

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