“Magazzino Italian Art presents a new special exhibition dedicated to the work of artist Costantino Nivola, Sardinian born and longtime resident of Springs, NY. Nivola: Sandscapes explores the artist’s pioneering process of sandcast sculpting. Featuring a selection of approximately 50 works from the early 1950s to the 1970s, including sandcast reliefs, carved concrete sculptures, and rarely seen maquettes of his most important architectural commissions, this focused presentation will examine the artistic process, range of influences, and notable impact that Nivola had on modern urban architecture and design.” — Magazzino Italian Art
Installation views of exhibition Nivola: Sandscapes at Magazzino Italian Art, Cold Spring, New York. (May 8, 2021 – January 10, 2022). Photos by Marco Anelli. Courtesy Magazzino Italian Art.
“At Magazzino, we aim to open a dialogue of artistic exchange between the U.S. and Italy. Nivola is a seminal figure in the history of Modernism, while also serving as a dynamic case study in understanding the experience of Italian immigrants to America in the Postwar period,” says Director Vittorio Calabrese. “The exhibition examines the inspirations that informed his artistic practice, including his use of Sardinian iconography, his formal design training, and his interest in creating artwork engaged with American culture. We are considering Nivola in light of our current moment, on the precipice of significant change that requires us, as a museum and a society, to advocate for the importance of art and artists in civic life.”
The exhibition is curated by Magazzino’s 2020-21 Scholar-in-Residence, Teresa Kittler, with Chiara Mannarino, and is organized in collaboration with the Nivola Foundation and with the support of the Embassy of Italy in Washington D.C.
Images courtesy Magazzino Italian Art.