ON SALVO/DE SALVO: A New Monograph for a Multifaceted Artist
On Thursday, May 18th, the Center for Italian Modern Art or CIMA presented IO SONO SALVO: Works and Writings 1961-2015 (NERO Editions, 2023), a new monograph dedicated to the artist Salvo (1947-2015). Serving as a self-portrait, this captivating tome is the story of the artist's practice through his artworks and words. The comprehensive selection of his works, arranged chronologically, is accompanied by a collection of writings, including his treatise On Painting, unpublished texts, and various interviews conducted over the years.
Hailing from Leonforte, Sicily, Salvo relocated to Turin in 1956, where he embarked on a conceptual exploration influenced by Arte Povera and artists such as Sol LeWitt, Robert Barry, and Joseph Kosuth, with whom he had direct encounters. In 1973, Salvo experienced a "return to painting," a medium he had initially practiced during his early years of training, which at the time was considered unconventional. Rather than viewing painting in opposition to the language of conceptual art, Salvo seamlessly merged the two throughout his fifty-year career, engaging in a personal research endeavor that maintained a constant dialogue with the past.
The evening's event offered light refreshments and wine and featured an engaging conversation between Bob Nickas, the author of one of the critical essays published in the monograph, and CIMA Fellow Giorgio Di Domenico. With the additional participation of CIMA Executive Director Nicola Lucchi, they delved into a visual journey of Salvo's iconic and diverse works, exploring his artistic motivations, techniques, personality, and the profound impact they had on his art. By contrasting Salvo's pieces with other contemporary works and even with each other, both speakers provided a more grounded perspective on the larger-than-life character of the artist.
The monograph is available for purchase at CIMA, and upcoming events held at the space can be seen here: https://www.italianmodernart.org/upcoming-events/
