GIUSEPPE PENONE

Following Journal, a limited edition by Bruce Nauman published by the gallery in 2022, this new editioned work revisits our history, echoing the activities of Multiples, Inc., a pioneering art publishing company founded by Marian Goodman in the 1960s.

Avvolgere la terra, consisting of 17 sculptures in terracotta with ochre and yellow pigments, refers in name to a primordial gesture, underscoring the intricate relationship between nature and humanity.

For Avvolgere la terra (2024), Penone applies his tactile approach to the materials, revisiting the process of “fossilising a gesture.” Holding terracotta fragments between his hands, a group of unique sculptures emerge from the raw material, imprinted with the surface of his skin, the contours of his palm and fingers. As Francesco Guzzetti states, “it is from “the negative of his hand, and the embrace of the closed fist that the material takes shape.” The soft, rounded forms crystallise through the compression of materials, enhanced by a vibrant palette of ocre and yellow pigments. In this manner, Penone highlights the tangible nature of the earth, cradling it in his hands to evoke a sense of touch and to underscore his relationship with the natural world. As each handful of earth is different, each of the 17 editions is unique.