Press release Remo Salvadori's exhibition
Press Release | Milan, 15 July 2025
Remo Salvadori
curated by Elena Tettamanti and Antonella Soldaini
A landmark exhibition offering the most complete overview ever
dedicated to one of the most influential figures in contemporary Italian art
● Palazzo Reale | Piano Nobile → 16th July – 14th September 2025
● Museo del Novecento → from 2nd July 2025 (permanent installation)
● San Gottardo in Corte Church → 18th July – 31st August 2025
From July 16 to September 14, 2025, Milan celebrates the work of Remo Salvadori (Cerreto Guidi, 1947)
with a city-wide exhibition across three iconic venues — Palazzo Reale, the Museo del Novecento, and the
San Gottardo in Corte Church. Together, they offer the public an immersive journey into the artist’s practice
and vision.
The exhibition, promoted by the Municipality of Milan – Culture Department and produced by Palazzo
Reale and Eight Art Project, in collaboration with the Museo del Novecento and the Veneranda Fabbrica
del Duomo di Milano, and under the patronage of the Ministry of Culture, is curated by Elena Tettamanti
and Antonella Soldaini.
Access to the exhibition, set up on the first floor of Palazzo Reale, is free, as is the viewing of the work
displayed at the entrance of the Museo del Novecento. Access to the artworks in the San Gottardo in Corte
Church, requires instead a ticket for the Museo del Duomo.
A journey in chapters through art and music
The exhibition opened with a presentation of six historic artworks by Remo Salvadori, thoughtfully
reinterpreted for the occasion. These pieces were displayed from July 2 to 14 at Palazzo Reale—in the Sala
delle Cariatidi and the Sala del Piccolo Lucernario—as well as at the Museo del Novecento. The
retrospective then continues across the first-floor galleries of Palazzo Reale and the San Gottardo in Corte
Church, expanding the exploration of the artist’s work.
Alongside the exhibition, two special events combining art and music offer new perspectives on Salvadori’s
creative world.
On Tuesday, July 15, 2025, at 7:30 PM, during the exhibition’s opening, composer Sandro Mussida
performed a new piano piece inspired by Salvadori’s poetic universe in one of the main floors of the
galleries. Later, on Tuesday, September 9, Mussida will reprise this unique musical performance, followed
by the presentation of the exhibition catalogue at Palazzo Reale.
Palazzo Reale
Remo Salvadori will present more than fifty emblematic artworks in what is the most comprehensive solo
exhibition ever dedicated to one of the most significant figures in contemporary Italian art. Rather than
following a traditional monographic or chronological structure, the exhibition was conceived by the artist
together with curators Elena Tettamanti and Antonella Soldaini as an open and evolving experience.
Every element — each artwork, the presence of the visitor, and the architectural context — plays an active role in
shaping the meaning of the exhibition as it unfolds in the moment: “I am not seeking for a final destination.
I am not seeking for an artwork that represents me, but I remain with it continuously. I am in the moment,
and in doing so I keep the fire alive.”
The exhibition layout focuses on the present, placing historically important artworks in dialogue with new
site-specific installations. The result is a visual rhythm that invites deep and unexpected associations.
Throughout, the show highlights the relationship between the artworks and the architecture in which
they are, alternating between dense, dynamic arrangements and moments of quiet contemplation
—where the energy of each individual piece is allowed to fully emerge.
Curator Elena Tettamanti remarks: “The exhibition focuses on the key themes that define Remo Salvadori’s
artwork. His artworks - avoiding chronological or contextual references - invite viewers into a direct,
personal dialogue with the artist. The exhibition invites viewers to become active participants or co-creators
of the experience as it unfolds within a space conceived as an extension of the artist’s studio”.
“Much like wandering through a series of rooms shaped by Salvadori’s thoughts” , the curator Antonella
Soldaini observes, “in this exhibition, the viewers not only deepen their sensibility awareness - especially
when placed in dialogue with the artworks—but they are also invited into a contemplative dialogue
between the self and the other. It is within this reciprocity that new ways of perceiving reality can emerge,
along with new ways of relating to the world.”.
The entrance to Remo Salvadori’s world is introduced by the installation Continuo infinito Presente
(Continuous Infinite Present), 1985 (2007), which occupies the center of the Sala dei Ministri. The piece
consists of a circle made from a series of intertwined steel cables.
In the Sala del Trono there is No’ si volta chi a stella è fisso (Fixed Upon a Star One Turns Not), 2004 (2025),
an artwork that is rich in meaning. Previously shown during the artist’s preview exhibition in the Sala delle
Cariatidi in Palazzo Reale, this polished metal piece takes on different appearances depending on the space
it occupies, embodying the concepts of change and adaptability, which is central in the artist’s language.
The following room features multiple versions of Germoglio (Sprout), a major work made up of overlapping
circles of various sizes. Created by the artist in both painted and sculptural forms, the exhibition presents
four different wall-mounted iterations dating from 1988 to 2017.
At the center of the room stands Lente liquida (Liquid Lens), 1998 (2024), a three-dimensional installation
composed of four glass containers—each the same height but varying in diameter—filled to the brim with
water. Above them rests a slender copper and gold leaf ring, uniting the containers and highlighting the star
shape they form together. The water symbolises the natural processes and material transformations that
have been central to the artist’s work since the 1990s, a theme also which is also explored in Germoglio.
Nel Momento (In the Moment), 1974 (2025) is installed on the frame of one of the windows, uniquely
engaging with its surroundings. This piece is visible both from inside of Palazzo Reale and from the outside
in Piazza del Duomo.
Displayed in the Sala degli Specchi are several versions of Verticale (Vertical), created by Salvadori
throughout the 1990s and early 2000s, exemplifying his exploration of materials. The artwork consists of a
rolled copper sheet shaped into a cylinder, held steady by a copper wire, which supports objects of various
shapes and materials—such as glass, iron, wood, and ceramics. The interplay between these elements
generates a dynamic tension between top and bottom, as well as between physical space and perception.
Anfora e modello (Amphora and Model), 1982 (2025), featuring a plaster amphora surrounded by metal
rings that are part of the Continuo infinito Presente series, occupies the center of the room. Although static
in its sculptural form, its shape evokes the ideas of transport and passage, ultimately becoming an
anthropomorphic representation of Saint Christopher carrying the Christ Child across the river—a theme
which is also depicted in a small painting included in the display.
In the following room there is Stanza delle tazze (Room of Cups), 1986, the result of Salvadori’s exploration
of the conceptual dimension of the circle as a form that evokes questions. The cups originate from the
overlap of a circle and two ellipses, with their two-dimensional surfaces brought into three-dimensional
space through the appearance of the ellipse. The version on display here, covering three walls, is the same
one exhibited at the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam during the Correspondentie Europa exhibition in
1986.
Along the route, visitors encounter a series of works titled L’osservatore non l’oggetto osservato, (The
Observer not the Object Observed). This installation features an iron and gold structure resembling an
easel, reflecting Salvadori’s engagement with science and philosophy as he explores the role of gaze. The
individual pieces are grouped together as a cluster that both observes and is observed by its surroundings,
creating a kind of visual feedback loop. In the same room, the exhibition also includes other works unified
by their use of metal: Tazza nel momento (Cup in the Moment), 1995 (2004), made up of forty elements in
lead, tin, iron, copper, silver, and gold, is displayed on the wall alongside two versions of Nel Momento (In
the Moment), 1974 (2000 and 2016). Salvadori revisited this artwork multiple times, evolving it from small
formats to monumental interventions.
In the corridor leading to the following room, the exhibition features two watercolours on paper by the title
Ecce Homo, 1985, which serve as an introduction to the copper sculpture displayed in the adjoining space.
Alongside it is another version of Nel momento, 1974 (2022), composed of copper rhombuses of varying
sizes arranged vertically along the wall. Opposite this, a 2007 version made of 111 lead elements faces
Stella (Star), 2017, a glass-topped table supported by copper elements that serves both sculptural and
functional purposes. Visitors are invited to place their belongings on Stella, using it as a resting spot that
encourages an unexpected sense of conviviality and sharing. This room also houses the first version of
Continuo Infinito Presente (Continuous Infinite Present), 1985, which measures 22 cm in diameter.
One side of the room is occupied by Alfabeto (Alphabet), 2013 (2016), consisting of seven elements made
from lead, tin, copper, iron, mercury, silver, and gold. Each metal is uniquely shaped and presented, forming
an alphabet. Completing the room’s installation there is Triade (Triad), created in 1989 during Salvadori’s
exploration of the triadic figure. The artwork features three bronze bottles connected by a slender copper
tube, forming two tangent circles divided by a vertical line.
At the end of the exhibition, visitors encounter Stanza delle tazze (Room of Cups), 1986 (1991), a further
development of the earlier 1986 work seen in a previous room, where copper becomes the central element.
The piece is displayed alongside a piano, which was played by Sandro Mussida during the exhibition’s
opening and closing events, serving as a reminder of the importance of sound in the artist’s poetic vision.
Museo del Novecento
Two artworks by Remo Salvadori at the Museo del Novecento complete the exhibition. Alveare (Hive), 1996
(2024) is a dense sequence of thin copper rods arranged side by side at varying intervals, first presented in
1996. The piece is permanently installed along the large wall beside the access ramp, becoming part of the
Museum’s collection. Salvadori also contributes Nel Momento (In the Moment), 1974 (2025), positioned
around the skylight in the room preceding the Museum’s archive space.
San Gottardo in Corte Church
The exhibition unfolds further with a dedicated installation at the San Gottardo in Corte Church —
(accessible via the Museo del Duomo di Milano’s visitor tour): from 18 July to 31 August 2025, 10 frecce nei
colori di minerali (10 Arrows in the Colors of Minerals), 1969–1970, dialogues with the sacred architecture
of the church, offering a contemplative experience outside the traditional museum setting. First exhibited in
1970 and later shown at the 8th Biennale de Paris in 1973, the artwork is installed at the center of the space
before a Giotto-inspired fresco, framed by four columns.
10 frecce nei colori di minerali is presented in relation with Stella (Star), 2025 — a new piece which was
created specifically for this occasion, with the support of the Veneranda Fabbrica del Duomo di Milano.
Suspended above, Stella establishes a vertical relationship with the historical piece below, evoking, as in
much of Salvadori’s recent practice, a celestial dimension that unites material form and spiritual resonance.
The Catalogue
There is a two-volume catalogue of the exhibition, in a slipcase and published by Silvana Editoriale. The
publication offers an in-depth exploration of the central themes in Salvadori’s work through a
multidisciplinary lens, drawing on the concept of the cantiere (worksite)—a key notion for the
artist—marked by the interaction of different voices in the curatorial, creative, and editorial processes.
The first volume features an essay, a conversation between curators Elena Tettamanti and Antonella Soldaini
and the artist himself, as well as contributions by 34 authors. These contributors—ranging from experts in
art, philosophy, history, and hermeneutics—were each assigned one of 33 keywords drawn from Salvadori’s
artistic universe. The editorial project brings together both scholars, that are deeply familiar with Salvadori’s
practice, and younger researchers engaging with his work for the first time, all active within today’s
academia. These perspectives are enriched by voices of those who have accompanied Salvadori throughout
his career, including seminal figures such as Germano Celant and Pier Luigi Tazzi, two of the most influential
critics who, since the 1970s, have played a pivotal role in interpreting and shaping the trajectory of his
artistic and personal development.
The second volume is a visual compendium documenting all the works featured in the project—from
Palazzo Reale to the Museo del Novecento and the San Gottardo Church, including performances and
Sandro Mussida’s newly composed score. The volume is designed as a leporello (accordion-fold book) that
can be unfolded and displayed.
The exhibition is part of the Milano Cortina 2026 Cultural Olympiad, a multidisciplinary, inclusive and
wide-ranging program designed to bring the values of the Olympic movement to life through cultural
initiatives across Italy. As the country prepares to host the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games — from 6
to 22 February and 6 to 15 March 2026 respectively — this initiative promotes dialogue between art,
culture, and sport. Contemporary art and sport share a deep connection: both foster values of education,
personal and collective growth, and social engagement. In particular, this exhibition aims to bring younger
generations into contact with the transformative potential of both disciplines — encouraging creative
processes that promote inclusion, participation, and social cohesion.
The graphics of the “Remo Salvadori” project are by Leftloft.
The exhibition is made possible thanks to the support of Cristalfarma, Aon, Fondazione Guido Venosta,
Pellini Milano, C-Zone, Pecci, and with the technical support of Urban Vision and the NEMO Group. Thanks
to REVO Insurance S.p.A. for insurance support.
Digital press kit
https://bit.ly/RemoSalvadori_Milano
Press Office
PCM Studio di Paola C. Manfredi
Francesca Ceriani | francesca@paolamanfredi.com | +39 340 918 2004
Ilaria Chiodi | ilaria@paolamanfredi.com | +39 349 242 4730
Municipality of Milan Press Office
Elena Conenna
elenamaria.conenna@comune.milano.it
INFORMATION
Title
Remo Salvadori
Venues
Palazzo Reale, Piazza del Duomo 12, Milan
Museo del Novecento, Piazza del Duomo 8, Milan
Museo del Duomo - Chiesa di San Gottardo in Corte, entrance from Piazza del Duomo, 12, Milan
Curated by
Elena Tettamanti and Antonella Soldaini
Dates for public
Palazzo Reale | 16.07 – 14.09.2025
Museo del Novecento from 02.07.2025
San Gottardo in Corte Church 18.07 – 31.08.2025
Admission
Free entry at Palazzo Reale
Fee required at Museo del Novecento
Fee required at San Gottardo in Corte Church (included with entry to the Museo del Duomo di Milano)
Hours
Palazzo Reale: Tuesday to Sunday, 10. 00 a.m. to 7.30 p.m.; Thursday from 10 a.m. to 10.30 p.m.; closed
Monday. Open on Friday 15 August, 10.00 a.m. to 7.30 p.m..
Museo del Novecento: Tuesday to Sunday, 10. 00 a.m. to 7.30 p.m.; Thursday from 10 a.m. to 10.30 p.m.;
closed Monday
Museo del Duomo - San Gottardo in Corte Church: Thursday to Tuesday, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. (last
admission at 6.10 p.m.); closed Wednesday
Website
palazzorealemilano.it
eightartproject.it
Social
@palazzorealemilano
@eight_art_project
@museodel900
@museodelduomo
@comunedimilano_cultura
#remosalvadori #salvadorimilano #palazzorealemilano #museodel900
Catalogue
Silvana Editoriale
48 euro
Remo Salvadori
One of the greatest Italian artists of his generation who has made a name for himself on the European
scene as well, Remo Salvadori (1947) has developed, since the 1970s, a personal language linked to
sculpture, installations and site-specific interventions. Founded on the interaction between the observer
and elements such as water, color and metals, Salvadori’s work is presented with a renewed formulation,
and is able to offer a new awareness of oneself and the world. A work that, viewed from the perspective of
the present day, serves as a bridge between the experience of Arte Povera and the aspirations that
succeeded it.
His creations are the vehicle and product of a constant attention to what surrounds him and to what he
feels deep down to be in close relationship with reality. The attention paid to the time and space of the
work, as well as of his own life, is interwoven with reflections on color, form, materials and modes of
representation and observation.
Salvadori showed his work for the first time in a solo exhibition at the LP220 gallery in Turin in 1971. Over
the 1970s he held solo exhibitions in Milan, Bologna, Naples, Pescara and Münster. In 1982, he was one of
the protagonists of the 40th Venice Biennale and of documenta 7 in Kassel. In 1986, his work was included
in the 42nd Venice Biennale, at the Museum Voor Hedendaagse Kunst in Ghent with the group exhibition
Chambres d’Amis and at the Castello di Rivoli in Italy with Ouverture II. Towards the end of the 1980s he
showed in solo and group exhibitions in Canada, at the Art Gallery of Ontario and the Italian Cultural
Institute in Toronto. During the 1990s, he participated in national and international events, such as the solo
exhibition of 1991 at Le Magasin, Centre National d’Art Contemporain in Grenoble, documenta IX in Kassel
(1992) and the 45th Venice Biennale (1993). In 1997, he staged a solo exhibition at the Centro per l’Arte
Contemporanea Luigi Pecci in Prato. In the same year he took part in the exhibition Arte Italiana 1945-1995
in Nagoya, Tokyo, Tottori and Hiroshima, and in 1999 in Minimalia at the P.S.1 in New York. In 2003, he
participated in the inaugural exhibition of the Mori Art Museum, Tokyo. In 2005, he held solo exhibitions at
the Christian Stein gallery in Milan and the Fondazione Querini Stampalia in Venice. In 2008-09, he was
involved in the project Lives and Works in Istanbul, for the 2010 European Capital of Culture Istanbul, and
the exhibition Semper at Palazzo Medici Riccardi, Florence. In 2012, he was present in the show
Tridimensionale held at the MAXXI–Museo nazionale delle Arti del XXI secolo in Rome, while in 2016 he
staged solo exhibitions at the church of San Giacomo in Forlì and the church of the Madonna delle Lacrime
in Carrara. In 2017, a solo exhibition of his work was held to mark the opening of BUILDING in Milan. In
2018, a major exhibition of his work was organized at the Stiftung Insel Hombroich, Neuss. In 2019, he won
the President of the Italian Republic’s Prize for Sculpture. In 2024, he realized several site-specific projects
for Legoli, in Tuscany, as well as for the Venice Gardens Foundation at the monastery of Santissimo
Redentore in Venice, while two solo exhibitions were staged simultaneously at BUILDING and Christian Stein
gallery in Milan.
