Agustín Cárdenas in the exhibition Astratto Organico
Marking the fortieth anniversary of Henry Moore’s death, the Gigi Guadagnucci Museum in Massa presents Organic Abstract, an exhibition dedicated to leading figures of twentieth-century organic abstract sculpture. Bringing together 33 works by Henry Moore, Agustín Cárdenas, Antoine Poncet, Alberto Viani, Alicia Penalba and Maria Papa Rostkowska, the exhibition explores the relationship between sculptural form, the body and nature.
The exhibition places particular emphasis on Agustín Cárdenas, whose works conclude the presentation. Trained in Havana and based in Paris from the mid-1950s onwards, the Cuban artist developed a sculptural language of refined forms inspired by the human body, the natural world and totemic imagery. His slender silhouettes, articulated by cavities and openings, give the material a presence that is both archaic and deeply alive. Several plaster casts, including a previously unseen study, reveal the early stages of his creative process, before the forms were translated into marble, bronze or wood.