of Milan, a city of strong political and social contrasts, the centre of the ‘strategy of tension’, where physical spaces and mental timing are reduced to a barely tolerable minimum and life is lived in conditions of extreme tension and danger. By rejecting a ‘tactile’, aesthetising reading, the sculpture provocatively exacerbates the evidence of this environmental condition.” The sculpture is transformed from an attractive object to contemplate and caress, into a repelling, hard, violent element, for a world that feels the need to fight, defend and assert itself. The solo exhibition was held from 23 January to 23 February 1973 in the premises of the famous Studio Sant’Andrea, directed by Gianfranco Bellora, a leading figure in Milan’s cultural life at that time. The gallery, which opened in 1968, put on exhibitions by the most important contemporary international artists and particularly promoted research in the field of visual poetry. For further information see Poesia visiva. What to do with poetry. La collezione Bellora al Mart, (Milan: Silvana Editoriale, 2010). 16 From the press release drafted at the time by the artist himself to illustrate his work. 17 Mauro Staccioli, in “‘Ogni azione dell’uomo’ Dialogo sulla scultura con Mauro Stacciali”, interview by Luca Massimo Barbero, op. cit., 35. 18 Organised by the Cultural Activities Department of the Municipality of Parma, the group exhibition (June-July 1973) also included Kengiro Azuma, Iginio Balderi, Giacomo Benevelli, Gianfranco Pardi, Giò Pomodoro and Carlo Ramous. 19 See Edward Lucie-Smith, Art in the Seventies (Oxford: Phaidon, 1980), 51-53. 20 The wheels were displayed in Piazza Solferino from 1 to 30 April 1974, on occasion of the Interventi sullo spazio urbano (Interventions on Urban Space) exhibition which Nicola Carrino, Sergio Putatti and Giuseppe Spagnulo also took part in. 21 The exhibition of the intervention-sculpture at the Piazzetta della Galleria Manzoni, curated by the Libreria Internazionale Einaudi and Studio Santandrea, was held from 11 December 1974 to 25 January 1975. 15
See Guido Ballo, “Sculture nella strada”, Ottagono, December 1972, then in the “Zibaldone artistico letterario storico scientifico” supplement of the Che fare magazine, Feltrinelli editore, no. 2, April 1973, pp. 164-65.
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129 Senza titolo, 1973 maquette in cemento, Ø 20×5 cm e punta in ferro 3,5×3,5 cm 130 Senza titolo, 1973-81 cemento, Ø 50×10 cm e in punta 9,5×11 cm 131 Senza titolo, 1974 tecnica mista, inchiostro e retino su carta, 50×70 cm 132 Bozzetto “Scultura-Intervento, Milano, Piazzetta Einaudi”, 1974 maquette in legno, cartone, cemento e vernice, 16×70×53 cm
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