Monday, May 15 at 11:00 AM marks the inauguration of the installation The Pietrarubbia Group by Arnaldo Pomodoro in Piazza dell’Ateneo Nuovo 1, in front of the University of Milan-Bicocca campus. The environmental artwork, composed of six elements, is the result of a work in progress begun in 1975 and completed in 2015, serving as an ideal tribute to the ancient village of Pietrarubbia in Montefeltro, the artist’s homeland.
After being exhibited in Milan at Piazzetta Reale during the major exhibition celebrating the Maestro’s 90th birthday, the sculptural complex returns to be displayed in its entirety in Bicocca, at the center of Piazza dell’Ateneo Nuovo, designed by architect Vittorio Gregotti. The installation was made possible thanks to a free loan agreement between the Foundation and the University of Milan-Bicocca. Alongside works by Fausto Melotti, Anselm Kiefer, Giuseppe Spagnulo, Edoardo Tresoldi, and Gonzalo Borendo already present in the area, the work thus becomes part of Bicocca’s artistic heritage.
"My ideal," Pomodoro has often stated, "is to place my sculptures among people, houses, greenery, and everyday streets. The work becomes like a living creature, changing with the shifting light and shadows, but also through interaction with people, creating an unusual dialogue that connects the artwork and the viewer. The work thus becomes a heritage for everyone and takes on a testimonial value of its time: it manages to imprint itself on its surroundings and enriches them with further layers of memory."
At the inauguration, the following will speak: Cristina Messa, Rector of the University of Milan-Bicocca; Filippo Del Corno, Cultural Assessor of the City of Milan; Marco Martini, Coordinator of the Cultural Heritage Network at the University of Milan-Bicocca; Livia Pomodoro, President of the Academy of Fine Arts of Milan; Antonio Calabrò, Director of the Pirelli Foundation; Vittorio Gregotti, Architect; Arnaldo Pomodoro, Sculptor.
