Credito Valtellinese Foundation sponsored by Sondrio Municipal Authorities and with the co-operation of MUSEION - Bolzano Modern Art Museum, presents sculptor Pietro Consagra's retrospective exhibition (1947-2000). The exhibition includes works he realized in 1947, as well as later sculptures (Colloqui, Legni bruciati, I Ferri trasparenti), which are, along with the "muraglie", the expression of a two-dimensional controversial sculpture. Pietro Consagra, who was born in Mazzara del Vallo in 1920, is 80 years' old. Credito Valtellinese Gallery is celebrating his birthday with an exhibition devoted to the artist's utopian attempt to take sculpture away from the surrounding space making a connection with the horizontal line and sublimating the frontal vision. After individual exhibitions hosted at the XXVIII Venice Biennale, at Brussels Palais des Beaux Arts, at New York World House Gallery, at Paris Galerie de France, he was given the Sculpture International Price on the occasion of the XXX Venice Biennale. He also exhibited his works at Rotterdam Boijmans van Beuningen Museum, left then for the United States to teach at the Minneapolis School of Arts. He mounted exhibitions at New York Solomon Gaggenheim and Malborough Gerson Gallery. He also approached architecture and wrote an essay theorizing about the Frontal Town (La città Frontale). He successfully exhibited the "Ferri bifrontali colorati" in Charleston (USA) with a monograph by Marisa Volpi. He also presented some of his sculptures, including the "Porta del Cremlino", at the Eremitage in St Petersburg. On the occasion of the exhibition entitled Consagra. Scultura e Architettura, the Porta - big iron door (6x8 m) - was hosted at Milan Palazzo Brera in 1996. Exhibitions and publications followed one another. The artist, who once used bronze, iron and wood to realize his works, now works with more materials, such as marble, charming with its variety of tints, and reinforced concrete.

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In 1983, on the occasion of the Gibellina Meeting, Consagra realizes La Stella di Gibellina, which is the first example of a frontal building.

A great retrospective exhibition with texts by Rudolf Arnheim was mounted at Rome Galleria di Arte Moderna in 1993. The Gallery in Rome has also a permanent section devoted to works by Consagra.

Darmstadt Museum, Institut Mathildenhöhe, opened a retrospective exhibition of the artist's in December 1997.

Some very important works by Pietro Consagra were produced recently. One of them, i.e. Sottilissima, is presented by Achille Bonito Oliva. Another one, which is 8 meter high, is kept at Monti nel Chianti.

In 1998, he realised a marble sculpture, devoted to Giano, which is more than 5 meter high and is kept at Largo S. Susanna in Rome.

In January 2000, Stuttgart Galerie der Stadt hosted a permanent individual exhibition with paintings and sculptures by Consagra.

For further information:
Credito Valtellinese Gallery, Phone 0342/52.27.38

PRESS OFFICE	Elisabetta Mossinelli, phone 02/48008015, fax 02/4814269
	Roberto Stringa, phone 02/80637227, fax 02/80637308